Bring Me Home or Leave Me Be
by psy001098121
Summary: An insane kunoichi has arrived in Konoha by chance where she gets taken care of by the right and wrong people, but her seemingly innocent arrival sparks a chain of events and visitors that will shake the very foundations of the ninja world.
1. Hyuuga's first contact

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Chapters 1 and 2 slightly revised. Important notes in chapter 3.

Today was a dreary day in Konoha. It has been raining for the past few days, sometimes light, sometimes heavy, but rarely letting up. Not a common weather occurrence, but not necessarily a bad one. However, it made for a depressing setting, discouraging people from going outside. In fact, only the few shinobi on missions were out at the moment, with the exception of one.

Some ways from the Hyuuga complex was a cemetery for the Hyuuga clan. Today was the day that Hinata's mother had died, and Hinata had gone to pay her respects. It was only a light drizzle at the moment, anyway.

"Ah-choo!" Sniffle. Despite the umbrella blocking the rain, Hinata was still a bit cold, especially after standing by her mother's grave for a while. This year's had the usual pleasantries. She told her mother how the clan has been doing, that Neji had recently come back to full health from a particularly rough mission, that she has been continuing her studies as a medic-nin, how much she missed her, and so forth.

"Ano… things in the village have been really well. We still have enemies, but we're more secure and safer right now." In fact, Konoha has seen none of the Akatsuki, and it's been easier keeping tabs on Orochimaru, especially with Sasuke back in Konoha. Most importantly, relations with Suna have been very good.

"Hmm… it's too bad the weather can't be nicer. I know you love sunny days. I really miss you, but I should be going now. I love you, Okasama." With that, Hinata bowed and turned away, only to see Neji a few meters away at the entrance. Hinata gasped and blushed, looking down. She didn't notice him coming.

"Neji nii-san, what are you doing here?" Even after all these years, Hinata couldn't help but feel a little shy around her cousin.

Neji had a stoic, but non-aggressive expression on his face. He was wearing his usual shinobi clothing, and was holding an umbrella in one hand and a coat in the other. "Hinata-sama. I'm here to escort you back. You came here to visit your mother and I knew you would get cold." He held out the coat.

Hinata sighed. She appreciated the gesture. Neji has been kinder to her, but she wished he wouldn't call her Hinata-sama anymore. She didn't like the formal title, even though she was the Hyuuga heir.

"Arigato, Neji." Hinata took the coat and wore it over herself as Neji patiently waited. She felt a lot warmer now, and even though she was feeling a little more nervous with Neji around, she also felt safer.

Neji quietly observed his cousin, musing on how she's grown. Hinata was fifteen now, and more mature as a shinobi. Her skills have improved, as did her confidence, minor as it was. Hiashi-sama has been scolding her less often, and Hanabi has grown to appreciate her older sister. Even today, Neji saw to it that Hinata was protected. It was his duty as a Branch family member, but also a small part of him wanted to protect his cousin.

"I'm ready to leave now," said Hinata quietly.

Discussion was minimal on the way back, and eventually the rain died down to a mist, leaving a fresh smell in the air-

Neji stopped and listened, as did Hinata. Was that an explosion?  
"Neji?"

"Byakugan!" Neji looked off the path to the left, deep into the forest for miles. The explosion was very faint and far away, and Neji could barely see what seemed like some sort of commotion.

"Let's go look," replied Hinata. Neji was slightly taken aback, but nodded. His duty was to protect her, but between himself and Hinata they can take care of most threats.

As a blur, Neji and Hinata jumped through the wet treetops, barely touching the branches, though Neji had to slow down a bit so that Hinata could keep up.

They arrived to discover a gruesome scene.

In a clearing made larger due to fighting and set off bombs, the ground was practically a stew made up of sticks, mud, blood, and dead bodies. Hinata looked sick, and it was enough to make even Neji a little queasy. They mostly looked to be nothing more than thugs, but at least one scratched out headband was seen. Neji counted a total of seven bodies.

"Did they all kill each other?" Hinata tried not to stare too hard.

Neji moved closer to inspect after seeing that there was no one living nearby. He shook his head. Three things struck him. One, they all wore similar generic garb which probably meant that they were a single force. Two, the one scratched out headband probably meant that at least this one was a missing-nin. And three, all of them bore the same lethal injuries and nothing else. Numerous shallow, thin cuts that didn't touch bone or organs, but instead ran right along and followed most major arteries.

Neji was slightly shaken. All the victims had died purely of blood loss. Whoever had done this was very skilled indeed. But who? No hidden villages or missing-nins that Neji heard of have ever had a style remotely like this. Hidden Sound could have done this, but many profiles were off. And the Akatsuki would never leave such a vivid mess.

Neji suddenly noticed that Hinata was abnormally still and quiet. He used his Byakugen to avoid turning around, and he saw that Hinata looked deathly pale and afraid, and that she was staring at something across from her. Neji looked with Byakugan, grew very apprehensive, and turned his head up to make eye contact with the girl he had somehow completely missed.

The scene of blood forgotten, Neji was starting to become a bit nervous himself. She must have incredible stealth abilities. How else could he have possibly missed someone who went around looking like that?

The girl in question was very frail and thin, as if she's been underfed for a while. She was dressed in wet, tattered, and dirty rags that looked like were worn for a long time. Her white hair was long and unkempt, probably not washed for a while, and framed a thin, attractive face. Neji pegged her age somewhere between 12-14 years. She'd look like any homeless person, but that was not all there was to her. Her rags were covered in blood, both fresh and old, and some of that blood stained her hair, face, and hands. In one of those hands was what looked like an old and regularly used straight razor. She was shuddering and twitching all over, but it seemed more from some condition rather than the actual cold. Her head would often sway about.

All of this was enough to make Neji and Hinata stare in shock, but what topped it all were her eyes. Big, wide-open eyes that glowed, literally glowed, a bright, baleful green. Her eyes didn't seem focused on anything, but yet seemed to take in everything. In most other circumstances the eyes would have appeared beautiful, but right now, to Neji, staring into those glowing green eyes felt like being lightly grazed with an unnatural fire. What's more, something horribly wrong seemed to stir behind those eyes that were staring at them, yet didn't seem to see them.

Her eyes, coupled with her twitching, and her attire and straight razor covered in blood, gave her the perfect image of a psychotic madwoman. Hinata was utterly terrified, and even Neji was feeling a bit apprehensive. This was clearly the one responsible for killing the missing-nins, but because of her already sorry looking state it was hard to tell if she sustained injuries from the battle.

The girl in question suddenly jerked forward and Neji instinctively went into the Hyuuga fighting stance, placing himself right in front of Hinata. Her protection came first, and Neji didn't know what this strange girl was capable of.

Slowly and unsteadily, the green-eyed girl advanced towards Neji. She swayed and twitched as she walked towards them, her expression the same as before.

Neji noted that the hand holding the straight razor was quite steady in contrast to the rest of her. His eyes hardened.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Neji demanded. The girl kept slowly advancing, as if unaware of the carnage around her, but now she seemed focused on Neji himself, and her posture was becoming more stable.

"M… m… mo… mo…," was the only response that came out of the girl's lips. Her attention was solely on Neji now, and her gaze was intense. And as she approached even closer, she began to walk a bit straighter.

"Ano…" Hinata, though hesitant, inched forward a bit.

"Stay back, Hinata-sama!" Neji steeled himself. The girl was coming within striking range.

"Mo… mo… mo…" It seemed like she was pleading.

Neji focused his chakra. "I'm warning you, don't come any closer or-"

"MOMMY!" The girl flung herself at Neji and hugged him tight.

"…"

"…"

"…" What?

All the forest was quiet except the crying, rambling girl clinging onto Neji. "Where did you go, Mommy, you were suddenly gone and I looked everywhere and I couldn't find you and I felt all alone and I was so scared and…"

Hinata was utterly flabbergasted. Frozen in disbelief, her lip and eye twitched as she stared incredulously at the scene that unfolded.

And Neji? Neji was in such a state of shock that he hadn't even left his fighting stance.

A few moments passed, and finally it all began to sink into Neji's mind. Despite how potentially dangerous this girl was, a vein in his head began rapidly twitching. Hinata began slowly backing away, though the strange girl was oblivious.

And finally, through her crying and rambling, Neji blew up. He couldn't help it. This whole thing was just too tense and utterly bizarre.

"I AM NOT YOUR MOTHER, YOU PSYCHO!"

The girl stopped and looked up at Neji in surprise. Her eyes no longer had that unnatural glow, and she no longer had that disturbing aura. Her face was blank, and then she gave Neji a strange look, as if she were seeing him for the very first time.

Then she gasped in shock and backed away. "Oh! I'm… I'm terribly sorry! I… I…" She looked desperately at Neji, then at Hinata, and back at Neji. Then she turned around slowly and looked at the bloody scene around her. She grew increasingly pale and scared. She looked like she was going to be sick.

Hinata, despite all she had seen today, couldn't help but begin to feel for this girl, despite feeling sick herself. Neji noted the severe change in her. Before, she looked so unnaturally deadly. Now she looked like a helpless child.

The girl's breath grew quick and rapid. She took a step back, and then turned around to go on a full-blown run, only to slip on the wet ground and fall flat on her face.

Hinata rushed forward to the girl on the muddy ground. "Are you okay?" She gently shook the girl, but she didn't move. She was unconscious. Her medical training took over and she moved her onto her back, feeling for a breath and a pulse.

"Is she alright," Neji asked?

Hinata nodded. "I think she's just really exhausted. She's not severely injured anywhere."

"Then we take her to Konoha." Neji picked her up, remarking on how light she seemed. "We'll head straight to the Hokage and inform her of the situation."

Hinata nodded. "Hai."

"However."

Hinata gave a questioning look. Then understood as Neji closed his eyes and his

forehead had that twitch.

"I'd much prefer it if you didn't let word spread about the girl's apparent confusion over my identity."

"…" Hinata nodded nervously, then followed her cousin back to Konoha, where they would head straight to the hospital for treatment, then to the Hokage.


	2. Sakura's patient analysis

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but wouldn't we all like to?

Things were starting to get more exciting, mused Tsunade as she walked the Konoha hospital corridors. It has only been a few days since Neji arrived at Konoha hospital carrying a tired, starved, and bloody girl from an uncomfortably close death zone. Jounin sent to investigate the site reported 7 dead bodies that had died of blood loss as Neji himself had reported. There were, in fact, two missing-nins in the group, the rest later identified to be bandits of sorts. The two missing-nins were identified as Cloud-nins, a genin and a chuunin. The reason for them being so close to Hidden Leaf, an enemy of Hidden Cloud, must have something to do with the girl that was brought in.

The girl in question had not suffered any injuries apart from a cut and a few nasty looking bruises. Mostly, she had just gone without food and rest. There was nothing on her that identified her place of origin. This may or may not be significant, but Tsunade was mainly concerned with the details of Neji's report. Neji stated that it was most likely this girl who had single-handedly taken down the group of bandits and missing-nins. All with the same shallow cuts. This would have to make her a jounin at the very least in terms of skill, but like everyone else, Tsunade had no inkling as to where she could have learned that kind of style. And to do so without rest or food… Tsunade shook her head as she proceeded to a specific room. Rather than just Tsunade ponder, it'd be best if she got answers right from the source. She was a bit hesitant as how exactly to approach this girl, though.

Just then Sakura had quietly exited the patient's room, dressed in medic garb, and looked up at Tsunade expectantly with a slight smile.

Tsunade received word this morning from Sakura that the girl had awoken. Sakura currently had the girl as her patient, being a fully qualified medic-nin. However, there were some difficulties. The girl had awoken screaming and thrashing as if from a horrible nightmare, and it took some of Sakura's enhanced strength to hold her down by herself until she got help from other medic-nins. After a minute or so, and with some of Sakura's soothing, she had calmed down considerably, and had up till now been lying peacefully in her bed. She was offered food, but had quietly responded that she wanted to eat later. She did drink a considerable amount of water, though.

"So how's our patient, Sakura?"

"She's doing well, I guess." Sakura looked a little unsure. "Physically, she just needs to stay here for a few more days, but…"

Tsunade raised a brow. "But?"

Sakura considered her words carefully, and then spoke. "I'm concerned about her state of mind. I think she may have suffered some sort of serious mental trauma in the past, but I'm not completely sure."

Tsunade was curious. The girl did come off as unstable and frightening from the report she got earlier, but she now wanted to hear her apprentice's input. "Why do you think that?"

Sakura looked a bit at unease. "Well… nothing blatant. It's… it's the little things. I've been talking to her for a little bit over thirty minutes before I called you over, because I got so drawn in. Most of the time she speaks very reasonably and intelligently, beyond her years. It impresses me, because she can't be older than thirteen or fourteen. But, sometimes when she's talking she doesn't seem to be talking to me the entire time. As if she were also talking to someone else. Occasionally she regresses a bit, showing a more child-like personality. There are moments when she thinks she's someplace else, and at least twice she said something completely nonsensical. Overall, she just seems to be lost. This isn't something that a casual conversation of five minutes would show."

Interesting. This differed quite a bit from Neji's interpretation of the girl, though Hinata did think that there was more to her than what they saw. Then again, the girl did have some time to rest and heal, and judging from the earlier reported appearance of her, she may not have had such time in a while. Tsunade nodded approvingly of all the things Sakura got out of her, but felt a bit of unease herself as she tried to match the two images together. What exactly had this girl gone through? "Was there anything else?"

"Not much. I didn't pry into anything personal. I did get her name, though. Her name is Kisa."

Good, we had a name. "Did she say anything about her family or where she came from?"

Sakura shook her head. "No. In fact, she cut the conversation short, because she somehow sensed that you were coming, and hasn't talked much since."

Tsunade frowned. She sensed her? "Is Kisa a shinobi?"

Sakura pondered a bit. "She definitely has enough chakra to be one. And I'm certain she must have had a bit of ninja training because she seems able to control her chakra. But she denied being a trained shinobi, and I don't think she's lying. However, she does seem to understand hidden villages really well. Midway through our conversation she asked if she was in a shinobi village. I didn't want to reveal anything, but I didn't want to lie, and the look on her face told me that she was giving more of a statement rather than a question, so I said yes. Then she responded by saying that she was in Konoha."

This bothered Tsunade a bit. It could mean that Kisa is a potentially dangerous aspect to keep around. Perhaps a spy or very well trained elite. Or she might just know how shinobi works.

"I know what you're thinking, Tsunade-sama, and I really don't think she's here for a malicious reason." Tsunade was slightly surprised. Sakura continued. "The amount of information she knows is unsettling at best, but she seems genuine as a person. Not just because of how certain she acts, but also because of how uncertain she acts as well."

Tsunade felt a bit inclined to agree with Sakura. But something else held her concern from Neji's report. "I'm surprised at the amount of information you were able to gleam from the girl. Kisa must be a very open individual."

Sakura nodded. "She is, though I can tell she feels nervous about telling me anything too personal."

"Tell me, Sakura. Have you observed anything unusual or abnormal about her, physically, or when talking to her?"

Sakura frowned a little. "I'm assuming you mean a certain detail from Neji's report. Hinata spoke with me a bit about it, and I happened to catch a glimpse while I took care of her. She and I agree on the same thing."

Tsunade looked at the door behind Sakura and back at her. "You suspect her of having a blood limit."

Sakura nodded. The unnatural eyes. "It would help explain how she'd be able to defend herself without being a ninja."

It might also explain why these missing-nins were after her. That could mean that Kisa was in danger.

"What is she doing right now?"

Sakura scratched her chin a bit and chuckled. "She's, umm, coloring."

Tsunade gave her a strange look, but shrugged it off.

"I think I'll speak with her myself now. Thank you for watching her and taking care of her."

Sakura smiled. "Of course, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade smiled back. She then took a deep breath and went in to see Kisa.


	3. One on one with Kisa

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

**Important** **Author's notes, Please Read**: Hello and thank you to those who bothered to read up to this point. I'm just gonna lay down some ground concepts regarding this fic to save some questions. To start, this story, plot-wise, is going a bit slow, but things will speed up considerably, especially after chapter 4.It is also very OC centered, but every cannon character will play a number of parts and not just fade into obscurity after a few lines. However, some cannon characters will definitely have more screen time due to critical points that need to be played out. So far we see that in Tsunade (necessary for Kisa's character development), and in the future of this fic you will probably see a lot of Sasuke (I don't even like Sasuke, to be honest, but he is key).

**Most importantly!**If there are any pairings you want to see, please tell me, as that aspect of my fic is pretty much open and free at this point. Any pairings with Kisa are great, too, but go ahead and read first, since you needa firmer grasp on her personality. I am very proud of my OC's and by writing this fic I developed Kisa a lot more than I thought I would. However, **none** are Mary Sues. I am against Mary Sues and if you see a sign of one in my fic, please tell me and I'll make it go away (a later character might borderline this, but the smart reader will know better. Nothing is ever perfect in my scrapbook).

Any criticism at all I would appreciate, even insults as long as there's a legitimate reason behind it, though it might hurt my self-esteem.  
Please enjoy.

* * *

As Sakura had said, Kisa was in her hospital bed, absorbed in coloring. She was a skinny thing, obviously malnourished, with long white hair that was now washed and clean. Kisa was staring raptly at the clipboard as she colored. A few crayons were scattered about with a box nearby. Kisa looked up at Tsunade once she entered and sat up straighter. She then calmly put the crayons and coloring away.

"No, you don't have to stop on my behalf." Tsunade sincerely smiled. So far, Kisa seemed to be a polite and organized girl.

Kisa looked up, looking slightly perplexed, giving Tsunade a good view of her startling green eyes and white hair framing a cute face. She really was an attractive girl.

"But you're the Hokage, aren't you? As I'm currently more of an intruder than a guest, It's only proper that I show you due respect at the very least if not more, even if I'm in a hospital bed garbed in only blue scrubs. I stopped coloring to give you full attention, though it is only a small gesture compared to what I should give," said Kisa in a crisp, clear, yet genuinely sincere tone.

Tsunade's eyes went wide. She was momentarily speechless. Polite and organized, eh? Tsunade suddenly felt awkward. _This_ is a mentally unstable fourteen-year-old girl? Not even the Konoha elders acted this proper towards her. She absentmindedly wished that she would get this kind of respect from her shinobi.

"Afterall, it's what's expected of me, isn't it, Doctor?"

Tsunade gave a puzzled look. Did she just call her doctor? Then she noticed that Kisa's eyes lost their focus and she was no longer paying attention to Tsunade, or much of anything.

"But I don't really need to, do I? Is it really…" Kisa suddenly cringed as if in pain, her arms going up protectively. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please! I'll try!" Kisa suddenly seemed on the verge on tears.

She just stayed there for a bit, then peeked out, slowly lowering her hands and looking about very confused. Her face took on that calm demeanor again, but now she looked depressed as she stared downward. Kisa seemed aware of her surroundings again, but now there was an air of shame around her.

Tsunade was again struck speechless, but for a completely different reason. She couldn't help but feel somewhat sorry for the girl. Tsunade didn't want to say it right away, but it will seem clear to most people that this girl is… different. Different in a way that few people are. And judging from Kisa's reaction, she seemed all too aware of her state of being.

"I know you have questions, Hokage-sama." This time, Kisa didn't make eye contact.

"Please, call me Tsunade." Tsunade decided that Kisa didn't need to follow that formality.

Kisa looked up, obviously sad. Tsunade did her best to give a warm look and that seemed to ease Kisa a bit.

"I've been told that you still haven't eaten anything. Why not?"

Kisa grimaced and gave a scoff. "I have been in a hospital enough times to know for a fact that hospital nourishment is absolutely abysmal."

Tsunade laughed out loud involuntarily. She couldn't agree more. This encouraged Kisa to laugh as well. After the laughing subsided, Tsunade said, "But still, you need to eat and get your strength up."

Kisa nodded. "That's true. And I am, in fact, very hungry. But truthfully, I think it best to wait further until I am allowed to leave. I hunger for real food, if you understand what I mean."

Tsunade got worried at that statement, but also couldn't help but chuckle a bit. It amazes her to no end how this girl can be so reasonable and unreasonable at the same time.

Tsunade shook her head. "No need to be so drastic. We can get you whatever you want."

Kisa beamed a bit at that. "Anything?"

Tsunade smirked. "Within reason, of course."

Kisa smiled. "Of course." Suddenly her smile became a frown. "But then, I would only be imposing further. Even now, I'm delaying the process of my interrogation."

Interrogation? Tsunade was surprised at that, but then started to become a little annoyed. Manners and formalities are nice and all, but this girl really needed to relax. Her depression was starting to get to her.

Tsunade sighed. "First of all, you're not imposing. We're glad to bring you back to health and provide for you. Second, you are not a prisoner, so there will be no interrogation for you."

Kisa looked a bit nervous. "Really?"

"Really." Tsunade was firm. She continued, "However, it is better for us to know what exactly led you so close to our village."

Kisa still had that depressed look, but at least she was focused. "I'm assuming you found the missing-nins, too. And yes, they were after me."

So forward. Tsunade felt a little awkward again. "Uhm… you seemed to have handled them quite well." Maybe that wasn't the best choice of words, Tsunade thought.

"I had to. I could tell that they were ordered to capture me, and if they couldn't do that, then they were to kill me. They couldn't catch me, so they were going to kill me."

This caught Tsunade's attention. She asked right off the bat, "Why were they after you?"

"Because of my bloodlimit." Kisa looked up at a surprised Tsunade. "I'm not here to deceive you. As you said, it's better for you to know the reason why your shinobi came across what they did."

This girl certainly was open. She decided it'd be best not to ask what her bloodlimit was right away. "Are you a shinobi yourself then?"

Kisa shook her head, but then looked thoughtful, and finally went quiet. Tsunade looked at her expectantly, waiting a full minute, thinking her mind wandered off again, before she finally responded. "Well… I didn't want to say this earlier, but the truth is that I was actually meant to be trained as a proper shinobi. I have been taught how to manipulate my chakra and I can even perform a handful of techniques, bloodlimit-related and otherwise, but…" Kisa shrunk a bit, "Among my family and comrades I had the least talent and capabilities as a shinobi-to-be."

That was a bit hard to accept. Shinobi-to-be? From what she just heard, Kisa is already practically a shinobi! And family and comrades? Who are they? Where did she come from?

Trying to act subtle for once, Tsunade commented, "That fighting style you used… it's certainly an affective one."

Tsunade could tell that she was making the girl uncomfortable, but she had this strong desire to learn as much as she can about this confusing girl. Right now, Kisa was looking close to a nervous Hinata, and her eyes had that far-off unfocused look again, but she still kept her clear tone.

"No. They were easy opponents, and my skill is poor. I'm bad at the family taijutsu. It doesn't come to me as naturally, so I use certain techniques to help me along. I'm even still in-training with the razor blade."

Tsunade certainly heard of this infamous straight razor from Neji. "In-training?"

Kisa began what seemed like reciting from a book. "We start off with a razor blade, undergoing training for aim and hand-eye coordination along the way. We learn to use it as an extension of ourselves in combat even to the point of being able to focus a little chakra through it. The eventual result of our training would be to use the same technique to focus that chakra into our fingertips so as to no longer need the blade to inflict the artery wounds that would lead to significant blood loss and eventual death."

What was this! This young girl was going through this training, why! Tsunade couldn't contain herself. "But that's horrible! A taijutsu centered on slow death? The training process would be strenuous enough, but all that effort for a fighting style that kills by blood loss? What kind of family was…" Tsunade had to stop. Kisa had closed her eyes shut and was trembling. She had gone quiet with the exception of an occasional whimper.

She went too far. Tsunade felt very guilty despite herself. She said she wasn't going to interrogate her, but that's what she ended up doing anyway. She could hardly blame Kisa for being trained and raised as she was. She probably didn't want to be trained at all.

Tsunade realized that this situation was similar to Hinata's in the sense that Hinata was a girl who probably could have gone on to live happily without being a ninja, but the stress and the pushing of the family forced her to do so. The Hyuuga clan was mainly composed of stuck-up assholes, and Hiashi being one of the worst ones, doing nothing but bring Hinata down. Tsunade didn't even hope that Kisa's family was even _that_ gentle.

"Please don't blame them."

Tsunade looked back at Kisa, seeing her look at her with pleading, and at this she was taken aback, and rather disturbed, because Kisa's eyes had begun to take on a faint and scary glow.

"Yes, I know it all sounds horrible. The whole thing is more horrible than you know right now. And I can only imagine how horrible I look to you. But please don't blame my family! It's not their fault that we kill! It's not their fault!" Tears were streaming down Kisa's face and she curled up into herself. "It's not my fault… It's not my fault… I don't want to kill, I never wanted to kill… I just wanna go home… I wanna go home…"

Tsunade grabbed Kisa and held her in a hug, gently rubbing her and rocking her back and forth. What the hell came over her? She didn't even remotely understand this strange girl. Maybe it was motherly instinct. Maybe it was because Kisa was obviously a broken child. Or maybe it was more the fact that this girl really had potentially the most messed up background she's ever seen and was moved into absolute pity. But when Tsunade hugged Kisa, it was the way Kisa's body suddenly tightened and scrunched that told her that this girl had probably never been hugged in her life. That drove her to persist in her affection, and eventually Kisa relaxed and shed her tears, repeating over and over how badly she wanted to go home.


	4. One on one with Kisa, part 2

Disclaimer: Well, it'd certainly be nice…

Author's Notes: Summary was changed a bit. More interaction between Tsunade and Kisa before the fic moves on elsewhere. This one isn't so angsty, but might get strange, and will probably open up a lot more questions in the reader's mind.

* * *

"Forgive me, Tsunade-sama." Tsunade looked over at Kisa. 

Because it seemed that Kisa had fallen asleep after her emotional release Tsunade was considering leaving her alone for a bit, but turns out that's not the case.

"Forgive you for what?"

Kisa was looking much more composed than before, though her eyes were a bit swollen from crying. "I've taken up too much of your time. And I put you in an uncomfortable position. I was able to discern that you aren't the type to mother some stranger into better well-being."

Observant this girl was. "As long as you don't spread the word, I'll be happy. I do have a reputation to maintain, you know." This brought out a short laugh from Kisa, and that make Tsunade happy.

Then Tsunade remembered something from Neji's report that he seemed a little reluctant to include, and she matched that with what she knew of Kisa now. She was hoping that it wouldn't elicit a negative response, but Kisa seemed spent now. "One of our shinobi implied that you seemed to be looking for your mother." Kisa stiffened at this, but remained focused towards Tsunade. Tsunade gave a warm look, trying to be sympathetic. "If you like, a few of our shinobi can help you find her, or even get you home."

What did she think she was doing, making a promise that she might not be able to keep?

She was getting soft. Has been getting soft since taking in Sakura as her apprentice. Hell, she's been getting soft for a long time just by agreeing to be Hokage in the first place.

Kisa gave a smile back, but one filled with sadness. "That is a very kind gesture, Tsunade-sama, and I thank you for it, but it will not be necessary at all. My mother has been dead for years."

Tsunade gasped, suddenly feeling very foolish. "But… what about…"

Kisa shook her head. "I know. I don't… I don't know what it is about that one particular fact, but as you can obviously see, I can get very confused sometimes…" Kisa looked so sad, yet accepting. Kisa chuckled, rubbing her temples at the same time. "I become very confused in times of major stress, it seems. Sometimes I forget things I should know."

That does make some sense, as the situation and post-conflict that Neji and Hinata found her in would probably qualify as said source of stress.

Tsunade suddenly had a discomforting suspicion. "And your family…?"

"Also dead and gone. Almost, anyway."

Tsunade felt a bit of horror, but then realized that it should be expected. She was also a bit relieved, knowing that her family won't come back to haunt her physically. Almost? Was that referring to her?

"And with that, as Aniki always told me, we don't have a home. We never had a home, and we never will."

Tsunade noted the fact that even though her family was dead, she still used the pronoun, 'we.'

"I only remember two of the family with any real significance. My mother and Aniki."

That's the second time she's heard Kisa mention this aniki of her's. "Were they good people?"

At this Kisa smiled. "I was still very young when Mother was around. She had the Fever like the rest of us, yet she still always remained kind and loving to me. She took care of me very well, unlike the rest of my family."

At least she had a loving mother, Tsunade mused. Was this fever she mentioned some kind of epidemic in the family? However, Tsunade didn't question more than she had to. "And your aniki?"

At this Kisa paused and looked off. She didn't look happy, but nor did she look sad. Her face was, well, rather blank.

Tsunade was concerned, thinking Kisa was going brain-dead, when Kisa's face crinkled in concentration. "Is something the matter?"

Kisa was looking slightly confused. Then she seemed to drop some matter in her mind that she didn't share, and turned to Tsunade. "It's hard." When all she got was a questioning look, she continued. "It's hard to accurately describe Aniki in a way that you would understand. He was… everything that the family was, yet wasn't."

She left her to continue, and Kisa's eyes went unfocused and drifting again. "Was he a kind man? He seemed kind, but sometimes he seemed crueler than Doctor. But he never did us harm. No, he loved us. But did he really? Always was he there to help, but never with love on his face. Perhaps he hated us, but no, he was a man above something like hate. Maybe he was above love, too. It was never just we, either. He treated everyone equally. He treated everyone with equal discrimination was the truth. But that made him equally fair. But he never judged anyone. He was just… always there." A bit of focus came back to her eyes and she shook her head slightly in mild frustration. "I guess some of that doesn't make sense, but I speak the truth. Aniki was everything the family was and would be, but never could be. He was our warrior… our prophet… our scholar… our architect… our elder, and our youth. He was a hero, but one none of us acknowledged. He incited both joy and horror in equal amounts regularly. He was all that, but he chose none and became none. He simply existed, but we never looked his way. Some of us were even convinced that he wasn't real, only another vision of our minds. But I know he's real, because I also knew him as my brother, my Aniki. He touched me. And he saved me."

…Okay…

All Tsunade could do was look strangely at Kisa, at that blank and reverent expression on Kisa's face as she transformed into a new, very different, very abstract personality. As if she were speaking to her own personal God. She couldn't help but think that maybe this Aniki was some sort of propaganda that was indoctrinated into her, and perhaps her whole family. It didn't seem very healthy for one's psyche, in Tsunade's opinion. She didn't quite know what to make of it, especially when Kisa broke into a very uncharacteristic girlish giggle.

"He was very popular with the girls, too."

Uh…huh….

Bizarre.

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Kisa was back to her calm, collected self. "But like all of us, he was guilty of terrible sins. And I know that perhaps his are the most terrible of them all. But he did our family incredible good. It's what I believe. I have to believe it. If I don't, then that would make him nothing more than a heartless, soulless, indiscriminate monster, which makes my mother a monster, which makes my family monsters, which would make me the exact same kind of monster." Tsunade thought about that. Kisa then looked up at Tsunade with a sad smile and inquiring eyes. "Am I a monster?"

Tsunade was silent. She didn't understand all the underlying things that she said, but she knew that Kisa was just an unfortunate girl who was very sick in the head. Nothing like this monster that she described. Tsunade only shook her head. "Don't think of yourself as some monster, Kisa, because you're not. Now, I don't know anything about what happened to you or your family, or what they were like, but you personally are no monster."

Kisa only looked like she half-believed her, but she nodded her head in confirmation anyway.

There was an awkward silence between them for a while, until Kisa asked, "When will I be allowed to leave?"

Tsunade considered something. "You only need to rest in the hospital for a few more days, but-"

"May I stay here a while?"

Tsunade had a slight grin. What, did this girl read minds? Suspicious the girl might seem, Tsunade was convinced that she has been sincere up to this point. She turned to Kisa with a smile. "I really can't turn you away from our village after our chat. And since there seem to be missing-nins after you, I think it's best to keep you in Konoha for a while anyway, to keep you safe."

Kisa seemed to consider this as she looked to Tsunade. Then she spoke.

"Will you make me fight?"

Tsunade looked at her in surprise, but immediately understood. Kisa didn't say, "But won't I be imposing on you?" or "Will you be able to keep me safe?" She said, "Will you make me fight?"

It made sense, really, from the angle Kisa was coming from. On this, Tsunade was firm. Definitely not. "No. I will not push you to fight at all. I am not asking you to become one of our shinobi. I'm simply offering you a home, if that's fine with you."

Home. That word seems like a mild trigger in Kisa's mind, because she looked a lot calmer and happier once Tsunade said that.

"As Hokage, I'll what I can do to accommodate you, but don't think I'm going to spoil you. It won't be fair for the other citizens and shinobi. What I will encourage you to do, however, is to open up a little and socialize with our shinobi. They're all good people, and I have no doubt that they will treat you kindly." They had damn better, Tsunade mused. "Also, whenever you see the reason, you have every right to leave the village and I won't stop you. But if ever you plan to leave, I want you to first let me know so I can be made aware, okay?"

Kisa never experienced much happiness in her life, but this would qualify as one of her happier moments. She was more than eager to live here for a little while. That's one of the few things she ever wanted in life, really. To settle down peacefully as her own individual.

Kisa did not need a hug or further affection from Tsunade. She just gave a bright and happy smile that showed her youth, and that's all the confirmation Tsunade needed.

Some time later in her office, Tsunade realized the scope of what exactly she promised Kisa, and the potential danger she may have put Konoha in. Most of the shinobi would probably not have a major problem having Kisa around, but there was the concern of her being hunted. No doubt that the people looking for her will trace her to Konoha. And when that happens, what if they try to take her again? And what if more powerful people end up coming after her, like the Akatsuki, or even Orochimaru.

Tsunade shuddered at the thought of Kisa being in Orochimaru's clutches.

Well, it's best she not worry more than she has to right now. Tsunade will put all her jounin patrols on higher alert to prevent infiltration. If enemies come with force, Konoha will deal with it then and there. She knows the strengths of all her shinobi and she is proud of all of them, and there is no doubt in her mind that they can hold off an attack if necessary.

Many shinobi were out of Konoha for missions, but she may have to gather them and speak to all of them about this sometime in the near future. Affectionate or not, Tsunade is not going to baby-sit Kisa 24/7.

* * *

Author's Notes: That ends the first arc (the first main plotline) of my story, and now the focus will be moving elsewhere for now. The next two chapters will be action-packed with new POV's and a distinctly different kind of mood, so pleasedon't be offended. 


	5. It's just a lizard, right?

Author's Notes: First, thank you to those who have reviewed my story. It's great moral support. And to answer a question, we will definitely see more of the rookie nine, but it will take quite a while for everyone to make an appearance, especially the sand siblings, sadly (expect to see them in roughly three or four chapters from now). My heart is for Suna, Hidden Sand (My sister is for Hidden Mist).

This chapter starts the second arc, which is composed of three chapters. To warn you, there might be parts in the next few chapters that might not seem very Naruto-esque, I don't know, but you might still like it. I do.

Expect more profanity from here on out, courtesy of Tanya.

Now the story continues a couple days later, far from Konoha.

* * *

"Sounds like a real nutcase, if you ask me." 

"Ano… that's not very nice, Kiba-kun."

"Well that's what she sounds like. Don't you think so, Shino?"

"…"

"Hey, come on, how long have we been best friends, Shino? Can't you speak your mind for once?"

"…No."

These were the words being said by Team 8 as they headed for the edge of Fire Country for their first mission of the day.

Word had begun to spread among certain circles of Konoha about the mysterious stranger that was currently staying at the hospital. In fact, the girl was the talk of the town among Konoha's shinobi, a lot of who endlessly pestered Neji, Hinata, and Sakura about who she was. Neji and Hinata didn't reveal much detail at all, deciding to keep most of it confidential until it became relevant to bring it up. Sakura, as the medic-nin treating her, was allowed immunity to all questions thrown at her.

The general rumor going around was that the girl was a crazed and abused psychopath who annihilated a horde of missing-nins that were ready to attack Konoha.

Neji and Hinata knew better, but Neji never confirmed or denied any rumors, while Hinata, at Sakura's insistence, did her best to defend the girl, but she was just as intimidated by her as a lot of people, if not more.

Kurenai personally didn't think the girl was a crazy psychopath and a killer of a horde of missing-nins. Logically, she guessed that there wasn't even a horde of missing-nins ready to attack Konoha to begin with. It was ridiculous, really. Other jounin told her that aside from that one incident with the seven dead missing-nins, there haven't been other such instances.

In any case, that wasn't her main concern right now, and once Kurenai and her team made it to the small village at the edge of Fire Country, Kurenai got into the details behind their only mission for the day.

"Alright. Today we have a C-class mission."

"Pfft, is that all? Nothing we can't handle. Right, Hinata-chan?"

"Uh, right." Akamaru barked in agreement.

Kurenai continued. "As you can see, this village depends primarily on its expansive farm system. In fact, there's more farm than village if you take a look."

"So what are we doing here? We're not going to be planting rice in all these farms as a favor for some old men, are we? 'Cause those missions suck." Kiba seemed annoyed while Hinata acted indifferent. In truth, she preferred simple missions that didn't involve anything particularly dangerous. And Shino was, well… Shino. To him, a mission was a mission, nothing more, nothing less.

Kurenai shook her head. "No, this has nothing to do with their harvest. The farmers also keep some livestock. However, recently, some of the livestock have been going missing. Small animals at first, but by now, larger grazing animals have also gone."

"Is it a thief? What if he's dangerous?" Hinata asked. Kiba and Shino had similar thoughts, though they were confidant that they could handle some random thief.

"Normally, that's what the farmers would think. However, some evidence leads them to believe that it wasn't a human thief, but some wild animal that's been taking the livestock. They never see who or what is taking them away, but whatever it is isn't very stealthy about it, and leaves a lot of evidence, too. The farmers have never experienced anything quite like this, so they're feeling a little anxious. That's why they called for us."

Shino finally spoke up. "We'll begin investigating right away. Which farm are the livestock being taken away from?" With that, Kurenai led the way.

-

First things first. They all questioned the local farmers for information and were pointed towards the farms where the livestock went missing. Team 8 went through the usual routines of questioning and investigation of the site. An hour later, they were leaping through the tree branches with energy. Or at least Kiba was. Kiba was feeling pleased. "This is so easy. We'll find this beast and be back in Konoha in no time at all."

Indeed, the job did seem very easy, for shinobi at least. In hindsight, whatever was taking the livestock definitely wasn't a ninja, or even a person, though they weren't positive. There were large clawed footprints that looked to be from, Shino guessed, a giant, upright reptile. They were a bit uneven sometimes, as if from a limp, and there were bits of dried blood here and there, and occasional marks on the ground that look like something was being dragged. However, the villagers couldn't track where the creature came from, or where it went with their livestock. They also had no knowledge of there ever being a large reptile in the area. So the villagers were at a loss.

But for Hinata with her Byakugan, Shino with his bugs, and Kiba and Akamaru with their strong sense of smell, following the trail of the creature wasn't hard at all.

Kurenai looked over at Shino. She wasn't confident with her concerns, but to her it seemed like Shino seemed more pensive than usual this time around (being Shino, it really is hard to tell). She decided to prod a bit. "Hey, Shino. Is something wrong?"

"…Nothing is wrong."

Kiba looked to his best friend. "You sure? You seem to be thinking a lot right now."

"…I'm beginning to question our findings and analysis of what we're going after."

"Hey, don't worry about it, buddy. We won't know for sure till we see it. And Akamaru agreed with you. Besides, what else could it be?"

"…" Shino was still unsure, but though he would never admit it, Kiba did have a point. What else could it be?

Hinata's eyes squinted. "Ano, I think I see a hidden cave far ahead."

"Cool, let's check it out," said Kiba. They picked up their pace.

Kurenai thought that maybe they were rushing things a bit, and that maybe this was possibly going way too easy, but she dismissed the thought. They were only going after some big animal after all, right? Nothing shinobi can't handle.

But though Kiba was oblivious, Kurenai and Hinata did feel a bit uneasy from Shino's doubts.

-

Meanwhile, said "animal" was very grumpy, irritated, cursing, and deciding that bringing over the _entire_ dead ox was a stupid idea.

Tanya might not have been a ninja, but even she had to admit that she's been very sloppy in getting her food. She marveled at how animals in nature could go on with this kind of life. They must all be miserable as all hell, she decided. That would explain why predators like her were always so pissed. It's impossible to get a decent meal! She had overestimated on how long some of the meat would last. The ox she got a couple of days ago was starting to smell bad, and she was hardly done with it. In any case, rotten meat wasn't any more useful to her than it was to normal humans.

Though she had to admit, eating live, raw food was slightly convenient, in that she never had to cook, but she missed the days when she could stomach real food. Oh well. She hated cooking anyway. Pots and pans were bad enough, but her true arch-nemesis was the oven.

Oh god, how she hated the oven. Many an abomination could have remained in hell had she never tried to learn to cook.

Tanya slid a hand over her long, smooth leg till it came to her heel. "Hiss… Dammit…" She gingerly touched the back of her left foot, where the main tendon was almost severed. In normal human beings, it would be a complete handicap. To Tanya, it was just painful. Painful and annoying, because occasionally the foot failed on her, though she could still use it most of the time.

"This really bites." Stupid pansy ninjas with the stupid pansy headbands. It's bad enough that she had to hide in some dark, cold cave with rotting meat and bones. Now some ninja nearly took away her ability to walk. That last batch was a little smarter, going for the debilitating strikes that wouldn't kill her. But the cut on her tendon was the only injury that mattered. Maybe it would have worked on enemy ninja, but they still had a long way to go to understanding that it'll take more than one little cut to take her down completely.

A couple more days, and the tendon will heal over. Sooner, depending on her chakra levels.

Tanya stiffened, strained her ears, and then sniffed the air several times. A deep and menacing growl came out between her sharp teeth.

Fucking ninjas. They can't even give her a day-off. Now she was pissed.

Hmm, that's weird. She sniffed again. Was that…dog?

Despite how worn out she was, Tanya chuckled and began to feel a little excited and energetic.

"And here I am without my hot sauce."

-

Once they actually got to the cave, Kiba wasn't as eager to take point. A few massive stones and tall, sparse trees littered the area, but the actual cave entrance wasn't so obvious to see, though they found it with no problems. Kiba was facing the entrance, while Hinata, Shino, and Kurenai were a few steps back. Coming this close to the cave, it was easy for him and Akamaru to notice the smell of dead things. Even to those without an enhanced sense of smell, the cave was unpleasant to be near.

However, Akamaru did confirm that there was, indeed, something alive in there. However, now that he was up close, it was a bit confusing for the both of them.

Akamaru barked. "You're right, buddy. This does smell weird. I wonder what's in there?" Maybe Shino was right in being confused?

Curious, Kurenai asked, "What's up, Kiba?"

Kiba turned to Kurenai and pointed at the cave. "Akamaru thinks that whatever is lurking in there is probably dangerous, but he and I can't make out what the hell it is, exactly."

"Didn't we decide that it's a reptile?"

Kiba scratched his head. "Well, I'm no expert, but yeah, we definitely smell lizard, that's for sure. But Akamaru tells me that it doesn't smell like a natural lizard that lives in the wild, and I'd have to agree."

The rest of Team 8 understood somewhat. Kiba turned to Shino. "Hey Shino? Why don't you send some of your bugs in there?"

"…" Uh oh… "…I did," said Shino. "They tell me that something large and fast is coming right out of the cave."

"Huh!" Kiba whipped around to face the entrance-

-Only to see a greenish blur before getting a swift and painful kick to the face that made him spin, and fall over.

"Kiba! Get away…! What the hell is that!"

"I-I-Is it a shinobi?"

Akamaru was on his feet, barking aggressively at the new face before being kicked away like a ball while Kiba was on the ground, making Akamaru cry out in pain as he flew. Now officially pissed, Kiba painfully rubbed his face before looking up at his opponent and getting ready to give him the beatdown.

…Or her... Kiba's eyes slowly grew in size.

…Wow…

He wasn't quite sure whether to be sorry for looking up or not. Despite being kicked hard and feeling the emanating aura of evil, sadistic malice, Kiba couldn't help but notice that he had a very nice and unobstructed view from where he was. It must have shown on his face, because he saw an angry twitch before his face got stomped on by a hard, scaly foot. He then blacked out to the sounds of his yelling teammates.

* * *

Minor Author Note: I think you guys are gonna love Tanya. I know my sister does. Next chapter, Shino does not like lizards. 


	6. Shino does not like lizards

Disclaimer: Why own just Naruto when one can own a monopoly on anime? (Just a fun thought)

Minor Author Note: I submitted this chapter a day later than I wanted to.

Please don't condemn Kiba as a pervert, he really did have a nice view.

* * *

- 

Shino was never too fond of lizards. Not that he hated them. He himself had no personal grudge against them, but in nature, lizards were almost always right above insects on the food chain, and though they understood it as the natural way of things, it still didn't sit too well with him or his kikai bugs.

He supposed that meant that he did not like lizards.

That could possibly be why he didn't feel too fond of the lizard-like woman currently confronting his team and bearing a face rather reminiscent of Orochimaru.

Shino did a quick analysis of the situation as the woman searched for the rest of his team with her sharp eyes.

The first thing he noted about her was that her skin was a light, natural shade of green that seemed to slightly ripple and shine in the light. A kikai bug that was placed on her confirmed that her skin was, indeed, composed of minute scales. Reptile skin. The skin was also denser like a lizard's, making it more like an animal hide than skin.

Next, Shino noted that she was large. Not fat at all, just scaled proportionally larger than most humans. She was also considerably more toned and muscular than most shinobi Shino knew. She was taller than the Hokage by at least half a foot, but had the same general proportions as her. After a quick and general calculation, that would mean that the lizard woman (assuming at least similar muscle densities and proportional mass) had to weigh at least 180-200 lbs on muscle alone.

The next thing that Shino noted was probably something that most people would note sooner. The lizard woman was dressed in only a pair of black skintight underwear that was really more like something one would wear to the beach. A bare and well-endowed chest, which she made no effort to hide, and very long, smooth legs, dominated the sight of her body.

Shino observed that Kiba, who the lizard woman had knocked out, was bleeding profusely from the nose.

To most, the woman would look extremely sensual, but not very inviting. In fact, she was rather deadly looking. Right now, only the dangerous parts mattered to Shino. Her scales seemed thicker and darker in certain areas, like near the hands, feet, and neck. Her fingers ended in long, sharp points, and her three-toed reptilian feet ended in thick talons. Sleek ebony hair was tied back in a ponytail. Her face was smooth and sharply angled, with large red eyes, a small nose, and a mouth that clicked from sharp teeth within.

The woman's eyes somehow rested on Kurenai, who was hidden like Shino was. Her raised voice was heavy with sarcastic. "Yo, Ms. Sight-for-sore-eyes, are these whelps the big, bad ninjas that are supposed to cut me down for your Saturday Night All-You-Can-Eat? Don't make me laugh." She shifted her gaze and raised an eyebrow. "And what's with the shrinking violet over there?"

Hinata, in a panic, had tripped backwards and wasn't able to hide like Shino and Kurenai had. She was fearful of the woman's malicious and frightening presence, but also her cheeks were flushed deep red at the woman's appearance and lack of clothing. Despite the situation, she was more flustered than afraid. Proper women, heck _any_ women, simply did not walk around like that in Konoha, and Hinata had never seen anything quite like it in her entire life.

After staring her down, the woman gave a smirk and walked over to Hinata, who was trying to back away, when Shino threw a kunai at the woman's feet as a warning. She didn't flinch at the attack as the kunai landed by her talon, and moved her gaze up at Shino, who had come out of hiding.

"…"

"…"

The two of them just glared at each other, giving Hinata time to get a safe distance away. The woman stood on the ground while Shino was on a tree branch, and they simply glared at each other with innate distain.

This went on for a little while until the woman gave a malevolent grin, cocked her head, flicked her long, forked tongue out, and then winked.

"…" Shino took that as a challenge. He decided he was willing to oblige.

Starting with offense, Shino leaped down from the branch right at the woman, which she countered by leaping back a short distance and pouncing forward. The two then met with strikes while Hinata tended to Kiba and Akamaru, and Kurenai watched, waiting for a good time to enter combat and help Shino, as the two were very absorbed at the moment.

The actual fighting going on was relatively simple. Despite coming at him like a feral beast, the woman seemed to know basic taijutsu that was somewhat similar to the Aburame's hornet-style taijutsu, which mainly consisted of single fast, hard strikes, though she also favored kicks and claw slashes. However, though the woman's skill was inferior to Shino's, her attributes were obviously a lot higher. She was able to attack more often than Shino, and she hit a lot harder, too. This put Shino mainly on the defensive.

The attacks came mainly from the front and she favored her right side, which made her attacks predictable and easy to intercept. Nevertheless, this was painful for Shino. Her purely offensive stance made it nearly impossible for Shino to escape without harm. He could feel the woman's dense, pulsing muscles with each hit he deflected, and one kick actually threatened to send him flying. And whenever he was able to attack the woman seemed satisfied with simply taking most of his hits, hits that by all rights should be dealing damage, but only seemed to goad her more.

Suddenly, the woman reared back for one big strike, which Shino used the time to leap to safety, right before her fist hit the ground, much to the lizard woman's frustration. She gave an angry glare towards Shino, who had leapt back into a nearby tree so he could give his arms a rest.

The lizard woman's fury seemed on par with that of some of the kunoichis back home, Shino mused, as the woman came at him again.

"…"

Shino decided that this might take a while.

And Shino decided that yes, he did not like lizards.

-

Meanwhile, this was the time when Kiba started to groggily wake up, complaining of a headache and suffering from a nosebleed, while Hinata tried to soothe Akamaru the best she could. Kurenai saw that she had a good opening on the lizard woman, and she pulled out two handfuls of shuriken and kunai.

But then, smoke suddenly erupted around the lizard woman, surprising Team 8 and putting them on guard. When it cleared, though, they gave an inward sigh of relief.

Three Konoha Anbu were flanking the woman, all with their katanas out, one held at the throat, the other at the spine, and the other to the heart. "Are you alright, Kurenai-sama?"

She nodded. She was glad for the backup, but Kurenai had questions for the Anbu. "We're grateful for the reinforcements, but why are Konoha's Anbu here?" She asked them.

The Anbu still had their katanas at killing point, while the woman looked like she wanted to tear someone's throat out. One of them responded.

"The Hokage sent a few more Anbu and jounin out on patrol to keep a lookout for possible missing-nin activity." That must have been a response to the scene that Hinata came across the other day, Kurenai mused. "Though we didn't find any more missing-nins, we did find a small group of badly mangled Sound-nins a few miles from here. They bore broken bones, heavy bruises, and deep slashes, but naturally they refused to speak to us about it. The Sound-nins were rounded up for medical treatment, while three of us tracked this… woman here." He got a growl in response to that. "And why are you and your team in confrontation with her?"

"We were investigating the culprit behind the missing livestock from a nearby farming village." The Anbu nodded at this.

The woman didn't seem happy at all. Grumbling, she simply rolled her eyes and scoffed. She then spoke as if in a casual setting. "Seriously, what pansy-ass ninjas prance around with a music note on their head? That was annoying enough. Then they have the nerve to try to force me go with them. But what really got to me was their, 'Oh, I'm from Hidden Sound. I'm so evil and powerful, and can kill you without trying,' attitude that just pissed me off." She eyed the Anbu at her throat like he was a piece of meat. "You really think that you'll take me and make me come along all peaceful-like and without a fight like a good little pet iguana?"

The Anbu backed off to allow a little room to move, but still kept the points of their katanas at the woman. "We're sorry, it's procedure. But we're not stupid enough to miss that you can be very dangerous and potentially harm people. Plus you are responsible for valuable missing livestock. We just want to bring you to our village for questioning and all this will be sorted out. Once we escort you back, our Hokage will want to speak to you about certain recent events."

The woman could do nothing but stand and twitch.

-

She didn't like where this was going at all. Though on the outside she gave a strong front, inside Tanya was starting to panic. Her mind was racing and being repetitive. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIIIIIT!" She thought. She was NOT going to let herself be captured, by ANYONE. Not Sound-nins, not these masked ninjas, or even by any of her fellow freaks from back home. She wanted out of this right now, but obviously that didn't seem to be happening.

Tanya had to admit that she might have screwed this up. Maybe she should've been a little nicer to these kids.

Pfft. Yeah right. Tanya knew from experience that supposed "kids" could be some of the most dangerous people out there. Bug-boy had something going for him, but she didn't expect much from either of the females or dog boy.

But now was not the time to think about that! She had to get out of this somehow. Numbers didn't usually matter to her, but these ninjas seem to be some of the most competent she's met. She felt particularly wary of the ones with the pointy sticks, er, swords.

Tanya kept herself from growling in frustration. Come on think! What can she do here? Old teachings slowly seeped into her mind as she planned, teachings from back when she was trained and expected to become a ninja. Brute force and claw wasn't going to help her here. She's too much at a disadvantage, what with the three swords held to her by point.

Maybe she could try to do something ninja-esque, like a jutsu. It might work, but could she pull it off? A jutsu seemed like the best way out, but Tanya barely knew any jutsus, and she was in no position to use her hands to make the damn seals.

But wait… What was it that the Doctor wrote down in that one book…?

"…_It's common knowledge that when performing a jutsu, hand seals are required to activate them to mold chakra into a desired form. Over time, one can even memorize and perform techniques without them. However, what's not common knowledge is that with practice and concentration certain special techniques can be done through other, much older means other than with hand seals. One of those means, rarely used and forgotten in older days because of it was too specialized, was with a medium. In addition, but not required, to saying the technique out loud to help with focus, chakra can be focused into a medium to create the desired effect of a jutsu. However, this does not apply to all jutsus. Furthermore, chakra control should be precise, but more importantly the medium has to be very strongly and specifically tied to whatever desired effect the shinobi wants to perform. More often than not, though, it depends solely on chance. So much so that in all likelihood, jutsu through medium would usually fail, and so wasn't very reliable…"_

A medium?

Tanya remembered that lesson, and the examples that the Doctor showed. She hated those lessons, and she hated the Doctor, but why was she remembering them now?

And those swords are still pointed at her. Her anxiety was starting to show on her face.

Tanya quickly ran through the few techniques she knew in her mind… A medium… She dug a claw along her scaled skin in frustration…

…The revelation hit Tanya like a brick. Excitement overwhelmed her as her face split into a maniacal grin, much to the discomfort of the ninjas around her. It was a very long shot. It might not work, but it was the only way without getting herself cut up and beaten up. She knew what she could do, and she had something that can be used for it's exact purpose, but could she even pull it off?

All or nothing now, Tanya thought as she readied her act.

-

Needless to say, all the shinobi, the three Anbu, Kurenai, Shino, Kiba, and Hinata, were feeling rather uneasy when the lizard woman's face inexplicably split into a wide, maniacal, and excited grin. Then, also inexplicably, the woman seemed to relax and move in a rather sensuous way. She moved a little bit to the side so that she was in good view of everyone, though the katanas still held her. She eventually had her back to a massive stone that she wouldn't be able to get around in time.

"So…" The woman was still menacing, but now she seemed more calm and… cheery? "I'm not gonna win this am I, hmm?"

"…" No one answered at first. Then one of the Anbu hesitantly replied. "No. Whatever you have planned, you won't beat us."

"Teh." The woman shrugged. "Guess I don't have a choice then." She grinned like a cat, and then crouched over towards them so that her chest hung out while she held a finger to her lips. "But you know what…?" She asked them with a silly grin as if she were revealing some discriminating secret.

She drew her finger away…

"You can KISS…" Her hips cocked to one side…

"MY…" Cocked to the other…

Suddenly, Kurenai saw it! Oh crap, she drew blood with that finger!

"ASS!" She turned and stuck her butt out at them while slapping her bloody hand onto it in a very rude gesture. A massive surge of chakra was felt as her scales suddenly glowed then seared as if burning, soon after showing off the symbols now spread all across her body that instilled horror in the surrounding shinobi.

A summoning seal.

-

Tanya was ecstatic. "_Say hello to my brood, biatch_!"

* * *

**-**

**Character Notes**: About Tanya. You can imagine her to be the equivalent to a shinobi dropout. There's a whole spiel and story behind all this, but the basic plan of mine was to make Tanya somewhat similar to Naruto in that she has a poor sense of strategy and bad overall skills as a shinobi. The next chapter will show that she also has a very bad sense of chakra management. Her personality and attitude just took on a life of it's own as I typed her down, though I never meant for it to actually be similar to Naruto's or anyone else's.

However, physical form aside, she does show some startling aptitudes, seeing as one of her few techniques is the summoning technique. As cheap as this may seem, you're going to have to understand early on that Kisa, Tanya, and other OC's that will appear in this fic, have been brought up in a very different environment and mindset in the world of shinobi. There may or may not be more emphasis on this later on, but everything does have an explanation, I promise.


	7. Here, lizard lizard lizard

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Naruto.

Author's Notes: Last chapter I submitted late. This one I submitted way early, but only because I wanted to test something.

I know there were people who read and reviewed the last chapter, but my story is not registering any more hits for some reason... Could be just me. Anyway, this is the last chapter for this arc, and after this chapter we go back to Konoha to see how things are going there with Kisa. That one you might have to wait a little longer for, but knowing me, it'll all just flow as I write.

Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.

* * *

- 

The resulting explosion of smoke from the lizard woman's summoning enveloped the entire area and had the distinct smell of burnt flesh. All any of the shinobi could do was try to be prepared, as they had all been equally caught off guard by the unexpected and improbable move. Unfortunately for the Anbu, something immediately snatched their katanas away into the smoke.

Of course, they were all also equally shocked. There was no doubt in anyone's mind. What they saw they distinctly recognized as a summoning technique, the Kuchiyose no jutsu. But summoned from the skin? None of them had ever seen that before, as such an idea was always dismissed as harmful, if not impossible.

And indeed, it must have been quite harmful, judging from the response and the smell of burnt flesh, which no doubt came from the woman. "Oww… Damn, that's gonna leave a mark…" They distinctly heard her from within the smoke. And they heard other voices, too.

"Wooo, Tanya! Barbecued lizard chick!" Yelled a wild voice that sounded drunk.

"I think it'd be wise to not continue that train of thought, or Tanya might hurt you." Said a calm, sagely voice.

"I like meat." Said a deep, booming voice full of mirth.

So the lizard woman's name was Tanya?

Finally the smoke cleared, and Kurenai, Hinata, Kiba, and Shino, were greeted with a most bizarre and disturbing sight.

Clinging to Tanya were… lizards. Not just any lizards. Big lizards. Varying sizes of big lizards with various proportions. All of which were different colors and shades, with various distinct features, but all wore the same small open vests with the kanji characters for "lizard."

One Anbu katana was broken and in the mouth of a really, really big gray lizard with yellow eyes and a body that resembled a cross between a crocodile and a snake. It seemed to wear a perpetual grin, and it sat, content and lazy-like, curled around Tanya's legs.

Resting on the large gray one was a streamlined and smaller dark brown lizard with red menacing eyes and killer intent.

One had a very long and very thin body colored blue and silver, with its two pairs of small legs far apart and what looked like folded wings between them. Its eyes were closed, and it was curled around Tanya's waist.

A large chameleon-like green one with horns was hard to see, as it was on Tanya's back and clinging onto her front with sharp nails.

Two smaller reddish lizards with slit green eyes hung from Tanya's arms. One was much more round and plump than the others with a wide mouth and very fleshy neck. The other also had a fleshy neck, but was thinner and covered in thorns

Finally, two of them sat very human-like on either of her shoulders. The one on the right shoulder had smooth shiny skin with wild vivid shades of yellow and violet, and had a large frill on its head like a Mohawk. The other was a little pebbly, its body a robin's egg blue with orange speckles, and had long tendrils coming from below the nostrils and chin that made it look like it had a long mustache and beard. The two of them had intense, human-like eyes that shone with intelligence, and they both were deftly holding an Anbu katana as if they knew how to use them, despite their relative size. They both wore vests with the kanji characters for "lizard prince."

There were eight lizards total.

It was like a twisted reptilian parody of Kakashi's dogs.

To the present Anbu and Kurenai, it was very discomforting to see.

Tanya herself looked very worn out, as she was hard of breath. It's likely it was from the chakra used in the summoning, but she also looked like she was in pain. No wonder. The portions of skin where her summoning seal went were charred and split open, actually reaching her face, though the bleeding stopped faster than it should have, and even now some of the wounds were slowly closing. She must have regenerative capabilities, the shinobi thought. No one was quite willing to make the first move in this situation.

None of that keptTanya from glaring at the shinobi. But underneath the glare was a very satisfied grin. She almost never used jutsus as she didn't care much for them, but she felt great accomplishment nonetheless. "I did it... I actually pulled it off…" Tanya thought.

The wild yellow and purple lizard let out a wild, insane laugh. "Long time no see, Dudette!"

The blue sagely lizard fingered his tendrils in contemplation and looked behind Tanya with a raised eyebrow. "I must say, without handseals, using your reptilian skin as the focus for summoning us was a very clever method, but couldn't you have picked a better location than your butt?"

Tanya had to chuckle at that, though still breathing hard. "Hey, you know me. I'm a fun-loving girl whose gotta do things with style."

The wild lizard threw out a weird hand symbol. "Yeah! Rock on, Dudette!"

The big gray one around her legs raised its gaze upward to Tanya. "Tanya hurt?"

"Pfft. It'll take more than chapped skin and a branded ass to kill me."

"Yeah! Our lizard chick is sturdy!"

The big gray one made a happy face. "Tanya tough."

The Konoha shinobi stared in surprise. No shinobi they met had this strong a connection with their summons. Not even Orochimaru empathized with his snakes this much. Tanya seemed to have a very deep kinship with her lizard companions, though they weren't surprised at this in the least.

The blue sagely one turned his contemplative gaze towards the shinobi. "So… by any chance are _they_ the reason why we've been called after so long? And why we've been given these wonderful gifts?" He flipped his katana up and caught it again as if it were nothing but a kunai. The wild one was content with simply licking his katana.

The shinobi reared back and got ready, but Hinata, deciding that she had to be bold, stepped forward to confront and plead with Tanya before Kurenai could stop her. "P-Please stop! We may have started on the wrong foot, but believe us when we say that we're not your enemies!" She dismissed the fact that Tanya was the one who attacked first.

Tanya had to sneer at that. "Is that so?" she slowly drawled out. What idiots. Ninja after ninja had been coming after her, and this group thinks it can actually play nice with her?

Hinata realized with fear that she didn't believe her one bit. She hoped that maybe this woman could have been as reasonable as the girl that they took in, who was in Konoha now.

Tanya's lizards, sensing her growing aggression, were starting to get riled up.

The wild bright-colored one whipped his katana out at the shinobi by point and gave a crazy glare. "Come on come on, Dudette! I wanna see some action!"

The big gray one gave a deep rumbling growl. "Tanya tired. Let us fight."

The blue sagely one prince had a glint in his calm eyes. "Just say the word, Tanya."

There was a moment of silence when no one seemed to breathe. Tanya began to have the Orochimaru-like face again.

"DINNERTIME!"

With shinobi-like speed, the two lizards on her shoulders were gone.

The shinobi frantically looked around to find where they went until they heard a whooping war cry from above, and looked up in terror to see the wild one and the sagely one come down on them from within the glare of the sun, wielding their katanas like master swordsmen.

As one, the remaining six lizards leapt at the shinobi with hissing, shrieking, and roars. Tanya took this time to recover her wounds and watch her lizards with pride.

-

Some ways away, a Konoha jounin that was idly passing by felt the surge of chakra. He was curious as to what the far-away commotion was, and decided that he had time to investigate, though he wasn't in any hurry whatsoever.

-

Several seconds into the melee, Tanya was getting a little concerned, but was still impressed at how everyone was doing. Everyone was still holding out pretty well, despite the opposition. Individually, the lizards weren't especially powerful, but their complementing abilities and teamwork made them deadly as a group.

The shinobi were holding out very well, too, despite this being one tough battle for them.

The wild one was all over the place, dodging blows with bizarre movements and swinging his katana seemingly at random, but with uncanny accuracy and skill, until it decided it would confront Hinata. Using her Byakugan and now improved Jyuuken, she was able to deflect the wild and surprisingly strong sword swings, until suddenly the lizard would alternate sword attacks with lightning fast tongue-whips. Hinata realized it was trying to take out her eyes, and pressed on, keeping her face protected.

The sagely one was the painted image of a reptilian samurai, with keen senses, quick strikes, and calculated movements. It discerned that the source of the annoying chakra draining bugs that were everywhere were coming from Shino, and he went to cut off the source. For this, Shino would be forced to repeatedly make bug-clones, as there were only so many sword slashes he could avoid within the span of two seconds. Shino decided that he would need force to get through the delicate moves of the sage.

The three Anbu were focusing most of their attention on bringing down the big gray one, which had turned feral and ferocious in contrast to it's earlier, more pleasant mood. Rampaging and tearing down trees, it moved surprisingly quickly, but its movements were ungainly. However, it was almost impossible to hurt the raging lizard, whether with weapons, taijutsu, or ninjutsu. It did seem easily susceptible to genjutsu, and this was where Kurenai would support them strongly.

The large chameleon with horns seemed the slowest of all, but had incredible stealth abilities that were on par with ninjutsu and genjutsu, which it used to it's fullest. It was practically invisible. Kiba and Akamaru took it upon themselves to bring down this one using their sense of smell to track it.

The two reddish ones weren't hurting anybody, but were hard to hurt themselves. Aside from bounding around the battlefield, they were both well protected. One was covered in steel-like thorns and the other fat one seemed to be made like rubber. Occasionally, one of them would inflate and puff up to unfurl a giant patterned neck frill that inflicted fear and panic genjutsus on the shinobi.

And everyone had to watch out for the red-eyed brown evil lizard and the now flying blue and silver lizard, as they both used hit-and-run tactics. At random intervals they would leap into the fray, strike, then retreat into hiding, only to jump in again later. The brown one's bites seemed to contain a strong painful irritant. The flying one dealt poison.

"Tanya, now would be the best time for you to retreat," called out the sagely one as he cut through more bugs.

"Yeah, Dudette! We're holding fort!" yelled the wild one as he exchanged blows with the Hyuuga heir.

Tanya tested her ankle, satisfied. "I owe you big time! Good luck!" And with that, she ran off, leaving her summoned lizards to battle the Konoha shinobi.

As she ran as far away as she could, she marveled at why she didn't call her lizards more often. She had forgotten how helpful and fun they were, and how great company they would have made during long days or nights. Man, did she have some crappy days and nights.

Suddenly, Tanya's tendon acted up again, and she was forced to stop for a moment, which was bad, because she was near the side of a rather open road. Tanya angrily grumbled. She did not need this right now. And this is a road! People might see her!

She whipped her head around as she sensed a single approaching ninja. That's really odd, Tanya thought. This ninja didn't seem to notice her at all. And he sure is taking his damn time coming this way.

The ninja in question seemed like a rather appealing one, though most of his face was covered with a facemask. He had wild silver hair, and his headband was at an angle to cover his left eye, his right eye having the laziest look Tanya ever saw. He walked at a leisurely pacewhile beingabsorbed in an orange book.

Feeling curious, daring, and generally just sick of running, Tanya stepped out a bit to reveal her presence, getting ready to kill this complacent ninja.

Once he came within a couple of meters he stopped and finally looked up from his book to look at Tanya. His eye went wide and he stopped. Tanya was starting to feel pleased that she surprised him, until she saw that the white-haired ninja was visibly scanning her almost completely bare body up and down, over and _over_.

Tanya's fury began to build, but supposed that she couldn't really blame him. It was hard for her to walk around with modesty, since it was hard for Tanya to get clothing.

Besides, she really did have an awesome body.

Then he did something that would push Tanya over the edge.

Returning his gaze back to his book, he flipped to a certain page and held the book up to face level, giving it a good long look.

He looked back at Tanya.

He looked back at the book.

He looked back at Tanya.

He looked back at the book.

"…!" Tanya saw only red. _He's reading a porn mag!_

The ninja looked back at her, seemingly not noticing that her claws and talons were extending beyond their normal length, twitchingly so. He asked in a good-natured voice, "Excuse me, miss, but by any chance-"

"I DON'T DO PORN!"

Tanya was so filled with indignant rage that she didn't see herself cleanly cleaving the ninja into four pieces.

Four pieces of ninja that poofed into a log.

Tanya was surprised and made an effort to collect her wits. She growled threateningly. "When I get my claws on you-AHH!"

The ground under Tanya seemed to eat her up, and she sunk deep down so that only her head was above ground, the rest of her buried underground.

Crouched beside her was that perverted one-eyed ninja. She gave him the most evil glare she could. The bastard ninja only smiled.

"Now why'd you have to go and do that? I was only trying to be friendly."

What she'd give for an extendable neck so that she could bite off something that he'd sorely miss.

"Although I know that you aren't part of Konoha and is probably a stranger to this country, by attacking me so fiercely I'd have to put you under some suspicion." He said almost jokingly.

Tanya stared at him incredulously. What the hell? _He_ was the one looking like he wanted to cop a feel and _she_ was the one in the wrong?

That's it! She's gonna kill him! She didn't care howleet he was!

Building up her chakra, she let out a fierce roar and burst from the ground with sheer strength. The white-haired ninja just leapt away nearby. Tanya didn't land as gracefully.

"Ugh…" Tanya was having trouble standing. Crap…that seemed to finish her, as Tanya found that she no longer had the energy for a full-blown attack.

After fighting Sound-nins, running on a near crippled foot, fighting Bug-boy, inflicting damage on herself with the summoning seal, calling out her lizard friends, and releasing her full rage on a ninja pervert, all without so much as enough sleep and a proper meal in days, Tanya was completely and utterly spent.

The one-eyed pervert seemed to look at her thoughtfully, when he turned his head towards the approaching rumbling from within the forest. Tanya turned her head in hope. Could it be?

Out of the woods, the large gray lizard charged onto the road and collapsed, defeated. Resting on top of him were the wild lizard and the sagely lizard, also defeated. Kakashi looked at them in surprise while Tanya looked at them with despair.

"Damn… What a bummer…" said the wild one.

"Sorry." grumbled the big gray one.

"We did our best." Said the sagely one.

Then, one by one, they poofed into smoke, back to where they came from.

It was over. She lost. "Thanks for helping me out, guys. That was awesome of you," Tanya whispered, as she fell to her knees, finally giving up. She barely noticed the rest of the shinobi arriving.

-

Kakashi felt a little sorry for this woman who he was told was named Tanya, just because she looked so absolutely defeated. But as he looked at the other Konoha shinobi, he was also quite impressed. Impressed, and glad that he didn't have to face Tanya at full strength. He looked over at the substantially weakened shinobi, all bearing cuts, punctures, and infections.

Two of the Anbu were practically roadkill, the third one single-handedly having to support the other two to help them walk as they groaned in pain.

Hinata held a hand to her chest to control bleeding, while she gingerly rubbed her left eye, which was now bloodshot.

Kiba was limping and bleeding from a few holes in his ribs, but stood straight so that he could better carry Akamaru.

Shino and his jacket were cut up in several places and he looked completely exhausted.

Kurenai looked the best for wear, but Kakashi could see that she came dangerously close to depleting all her chakra.

Though it wasn't Tanya who dealt all the damage, it must have taken quite a bit of chakra and some decent chakra control on her part to call her friends through such an unconventional method. Their ferocity in combat showed how loyal and protective they were of her, which was a testament of their respect for her. And her true goal, afterall, was only to escape from the shinobi, which she probably could have done had she not run into Kakashi.

He mused as he listened to their report. From a professional standpoint, in terms of shinobi Tanya seemed like a complete amateur, but with a great amount of potential. Kind of like a certain shinobi back in Konoha, thought Kakashi with a smile.

Kurenai and the Anbu finished their report to Kakashi. Now curious himself, he walked over to the slouched Tanya and crouched down to make them both level with each other.

"Tanya is your name?"

Tanya didn't seem interested in talking to him.

"You're roughed up pretty badly, and you need rest. Why don't you come back to Konoha with us?"

Tanya didn't respond at first, but then answered in a deadpanned voice, "You might as fucking well dissect me here on the spot."

At that statement even Kakashi was taken aback, and he glanced back at Kurenai and her team, who thought the same thing. This unique woman, Tanya, was thinking that the Konoha shinobi were going to capture her for experimentation and exploitation. Just like something Orochimaru would do. That seemed like the best explanation for why Tanya was being so aggressive with them. He supposed that he couldn't fault her for being so paranoid and mistrusting. Fugitive figures tend to be like that. Maybe she's been on the run for a while with no safe place to go.

Hmm, perhaps just like that strange girl who's now staying in Konoha? Could there be a connection between the two? Could they possibly even know each other?

Well, in any case, though Tanya had no fight in her, she didn't look like she was going anywhere. Kakashi lifted his forehead protector and held a finger under Tanya's chin.

"Look at me."

Slowly, Tanya lifted her eyes to meet Kakashi's, only to be raptly caught in his spinning Sharingan eye. After only a moment, Tanya fell asleep, though, interestingly, she only fell into a sort of half sleep. Strange, thought Kakashi. She still seemed marginally aware of her surroundings, but was obviously in no position to do anything. She sounded like she was talking in her sleep, actually.

"Zzz… nice trick, making the lizard go nappy-nap…"

It was a unanimous decision to bring Tanya back to Konoha, though motives might have varied amongst them. Kakashi took off his jounin vest and put it on Tanya for sake of modesty when she's brought into Konoha, though it was a tight fit. When he tried to lift her, however, he was at a bit of a loss.

"Ahahaha..." Kakashi scratched the back of his head as he sheepishly looked over at the other shinobi. "Can someone help me out here? She's surprisingly heavy."

Tanya grumbled something sleepily. "Dammit, you bastard. It's bad enough that you kicked my ass. Don't you go calling me fat… zzz…"

-

* * *

Author's Notes: Yes, I know I neglected to name Tanya's lizards. That's because I honestly cannot come up with any good names for them right now without ripping off names from somewhere else. I think Wild one and Sagely one will do for now, though. I'm very sorry! 

How did Kakashi end up in the right place at the right time? It's a valid question, but not necessarily too coincidental. It's not like we know for a fact where Kakashi is every hour of the week.

And to answer a question, Tanya is not just random. She does have a connection to Kisa.


	8. Big sisters

Author's Notes: Here we are, back in Konoha, for a more humane and humorous look on Kisa. It feels like this is my sloppiest chapter, but I'll leave you guys to be the judge on the quality and content. It's because this chapter was kinda rushed, and I haven't been able to look it over as many times. In any case, enjoy.

* * *

- 

-

"_I don't understand, Tsunade-sama. She's recovered quite a bit, but wouldn't it be better if she remained in the hospital, or even received special treatment?"_

"_Yes, normally, that's exactly what I would recommend. She acts a lot more stable, but there technically isn't much significant change where her mind is concerned. Any possible further treatment regarding Kisa's mental state is being discussed and debated among our medical staff and myself, since we don't exactly specialize in this kind of treatment. Plus she isn't even ours. However, lately Kisa has been visibly more relaxed and comfortable with her hospital stay, and during my last visit she expressed an interest in moving about and going outside to get some sun and air. In short, she's getting restless, and keeping her cooped up longer may stress her."_

"_Ah, I see. But why me? Why not a jounin who could protect her better, or even with one of our teams?"_

_"Those are both perfectly valid options, and that's probably what I'm going to issue in the future. However, for now, I think it'd be best to limit and gradually increase the amount of social contact she receives, since we really don't know how she would react in one situation or another."_

_"Oh, I get it. Aside from yourself, the only other person she's been in contact with on a regular basis is me."_

_"Correct, Sakura. She's more used to you, so her behavior might be a bit more stable and predictable. Show her around, have a meal or two, maybe even get her some of her own clothes. Furthermore, being an intelligent and responsible kunoichi, I think you'd be a good influence on her, at least to be around."_

-

Sakura was proud that Tsunade-sama thought of her as such, and that thought followed her as she went to get Kisa and take her around Konoha. Strange and occasionally disturbing as Kisa was, she was still fun and interesting to be around in Sakura's opinion, with her intellectual form of speech, mature personality, and childlike inhibitions.

Most importantly, aside from gaining a little more weight and color, Kisa also seemed much more mentally stable than before, and for that, Sakura felt relief. It made her feel that maybe they were doing something right, and that keeping Kisa here was good for her.

Seemingly never having been in a hidden village before, Kisa expressed an interest and wonder in everything and everyone she saw. And Sakura could never get tired of Kisa's perceptions and offhand comments when she chose to give them. A lot of people, mainly shinobi, did give the pair discerning and sometimes even nervous and suspicious looks, but if Kisa noticed them she didn't say. Kisa seemed too enraptured by her surroundings to mentally drift off like she likes to do. Except for when attention would be brought to them, she didn't act shy or nervous around other people at all. Kisa would usually listen very attentively to everything Sakura would say, but she had an annoying habit of forgetting that Sakura was even right next to her, leading to her wandering off whenever Sakura stopped or turned away. Also, though she seemed interested and amazed at everything that would go on around her, her apparent perception and reactions seemed as skewed as always. Seemingly ordinary or regular things or people seemed to raptly hold Kisa's attention, while obvious attention grabbers would only merit an extended glance or two.

It was shortly before lunch when Sakura and Kisa passed by a clothing store, and Kisa expressed an interest in trying on the different colors and styles that she saw. She commented that in all her memory she only wore a handful of practical clothes and never wore anything pretty. Kisa was wearing a plain white shirt and slightly big blue jeans lent by one of the nurses, and though it looked nice and was technically fine, it didn't do Kisa's beauty or her growing figure any justice whatsoever. Feeling encouraged at her openness and eager to see her in other clothes, Sakura led her into the store, when who should they run into but Ino.

Sakura, despite her friendship with Ino, felt very discouraged from having her and Kisa meet for reasons she couldn't discern. Probably she was worried of how Ino would take to Kisa. However, before she could make a decision about the matter, Kisa herself approached Ino and asked if she were a friend of Sakura's. Introductions were made and questions were asked. Kisa was now starting to look a little nervous, but seemed to be making a genuine effort to be more social with strangers. Ino livened up to Kisa pretty easily, despite feeling a little miffed at the girl's strange behavior, ever-proper speech, and extensive vocabulary, which she naturally blamed Sakura for.

Naturally, Ino had a number of questions that she wanted to ask Sakura personally and privately, but Ino was much more "concerned" with the ultimate injustice of a cute girl like Kisa having _never gone shopping in her entire life!_

Once Ino snapped out of her shocked stupor, she forcibly dragged the scared Kisa and the indignant Sakura deeper and deeper into the clothing store, rambling like a madwoman about what would look best on Kisa, verbally planning out a daily, weekly, and seasonal fashion lineup for Kisa, in regards to her figure, skin tone, white hair, and unique green eyes. Hell, Ino even insisted on paying for Kisa's clothes herself! Eventually, Ino had to relent and reluctantly agreed to let Sakura have a say in what Kisa can wear also.

Kisa, speechless, half frightened and half excited, obediently agreed to temporarily be Ino's doll, and she tried on the first few outfits.

The first outfit was a casual dress with yellow trim befitting the current season. It looked very cute on her. The second one was composed of a white stylish buttoned shirt with designer khakis and matching shoes. Sakura and Ino felt a little envious at how Kisa looked in that one.

Kisa liked the first two, as it was obvious from how she admired herself in the booth. Kisa felt very pretty and even let out a giggle or two. She had never worn things like these before. But she didn't express a lot of interest in keeping them for herself. To her the casual dress felt a bit lavish (Ino: (state of shock) Lavish? That thing? Dammit, girl, I'll show you lavish!), and the second outfit made her feel too old (Ino: (facepalm) Women twice your age would kill to be able to fit in something like that!). Despite Ino's exasperated and rude comments, Kisa didn't feel discouraged, and Sakura was relieved at that, as she was already getting sick of Ino and worried for Kisa.

The third outfit, however, left Kisa quiet and a bit uncomfortable. Ino stated that this one was for special occasions, but mainly "for the boys." As Ino and Sakura broke into an argument with each other about this particular outfit, Kisa silently looked herself over with a blush and a musing frown.

This time she wore a slitted ebony top with sleeves going to her elbows and a generous amount of midriff showing, with a black skirt hanging off her hips and matching boots, all of which was matched with fishnet. Ino noted that Kisa would need make-up and maybe even a bit of jewelry to go with.

There was no question in either of the kunoichi's minds that Kisa looked absolutely great in it—sexy even—but to Sakura, it seemed like too much for the girl, and she told Ino as such, telling her off for trying to corrupt the poor girl into walking around displaying a "come hither" look. Ino fiercely protested that this was just the thing to help Kisa better her image and self-esteem, and to even bring some positive social attention.

"Well, what do you think, Kisa? Is it, or is it not a great outfit?" Ino practically demanded. Kisa, however, seemed to have mentally drifted off again, though she appeared to still be enraptured by her image, the blush still evident.

Sakura felt concerned, half paranoid that they frightened her too much. "Kisa? You alright?"

Kisa jumped and blinked rapidly. "Oh, please forgive me for drifting off like that. I was just caught up in my current… unorthodox display and imagery."

Ino put her hands on her hips. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing? What do you think of it?"

"Umm… well… To be perfectly honest I don't quite know what to make of it. I've never had the need to wear anything so revealing and bare. I see few practical uses for this outfit, and I can't imagine myself wearing these pieces for extended amounts of time. But strangely, it does seem to hold a rather… umm…"

Sakura, curious, "Hold a rather what?"

"…Carnal appeal…?"

Silence ensued. _Carnal_…?

Sakura sweatdropped, but had to hold back a laugh, while Ino just burst out laughing completely. "Translation. She thinks she looks very hot."

Kisa blushed deeper and seemed to even get a little mad. "I don't understand what's so funny. To me, it simply feels strange."

"But don't you like what you see?"

Kisa closed her eyes in irritation. "To be frank, it feels more like a sinful, guilty pleasure." She opened them, and turned towards Ino inquisitively. "Tell me again what this outfit is for?"

"Silly. I told you, it's to attract guys. It helps to make them like you and be friendly and do your bidding."

"Ino… I don't think this is the kind of thing you should be putting into her head."

"Well, why not? She's definitely old enough, and my guess is that she _is_ single."

Sakura didn't like the influence that Ino was having on Kisa, and now decided that bringing Kisa here was a bad idea. Not that those things Ino was talking about were bad things to address with a girl. It's just that Kisa wasn't your typical girl, and Ino didn't seem to get that.

On the issue at hand, Sakura had no doubt that eventually some guy would have a crush on or even really like Kisa. Maybe even vise versa. But so far, Kisa hasn't shown much interest in that department. She had a suspicion that she might not know much at all about dating and relationships. If so, she may have to be educated in that, as it was a normal part of a girl's life.

Kisa seemed to digest that, looking at Ino blankly. "Attract… men, you mean?"

"Well, men, boys, guys, it's all the same."

"And this is a good thing to be able to attract men?"

"Mhm, that's right."

"And I'm of proper age for this?"

"Right."

"And all girls and kunoichi here make an effort for this?"

"Well, not all the time, but every girl has their moments. Right, Sakura?" Sakura nodded, since she knew these to be true.

"I see…" Kisa had her hand to her chin and looked to be in deep thought, as if she had learned something big and new. Sakura and Ino just looked at her strangely. What was so strange or amazing about girls wanting to look good for guys every now and then? Just what has this girl been deprived of? Kisa then gave a questioning look towards Sakura and Ino.

"Forgive me, Sakura and Ino, as I am new here and not familiar with local customs and practices, but I was under the teaching and impression that sex between a man and a woman was under the purview of marriage and thus a very personal matter. I never knew I was suppose to simply invite another man like that."

"…"

"…"

Kisa felt that maybe she said something wrong and tried to cover her mistake. "I… umm… I know how the sexual process works, but I've never felt the need to really think about that at this time. And I've never practiced or been accustomed to advertising that aspect of my femininity to the opposite gender, though I am technically of age to be able to bear children if that's what I'm suppose to be doing…."

"………"

"………"

"Umm… unless I'm displaying just for the purpose of starting a marriage…? I always thought I had to be older, however…"

Kisa was feeling very nervous and anxious. She was starting to think that she had inadvertently used one of her jutsus during their conversation. She most surely must have been the one to cause this effect. What else could have turned Sakura and Ino completely mute and pale, rendered into unmoving statues with horrified expressions on their barely twitching faces?

Then they both blew up at once, making Kisa jump back in fear and apprehension. Now she was completely sure she had used a technique, for now the two kunoichi were transformed into screaming madwomen, flailing their arms about.

"NO! NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo!"

"That's not what she meant! You've got it all wrong! Completely wrong!"

Before they could yell anything else coherent, the girls were asked to leave the clothing store by the manager very, very politely.

-

"Kisa's… a little different, isn't she?" Ino tiredly asked.

"About time you realized that," Sakura tersely replied.

Later, Kisa, Sakura, and Ino were sitting on a bench across the clothing store. The two older kunoichi were still red in the face, and not from the yelling.

Kisa, meanwhile, was feeling depressed and withdrew into herself a little bit. She wasn't sure what she did wrong to merit being yelled at, and to top it off, she was told to leave the store with all the nice clothes. She didn't want to offend anyone, and she decided earlier that she really did like it here and that she really wanted to make more friends.

Kisa, deep inside, remembered. She knew what she was, and that she has no business being here in Konoha, or anywhere else. But she still felt the desire for warmth, and comfort, and safety. And so far, she found a bit of all that in Konoha. She didn't want to be ostracized or alienated, though that is supposed to be the standard with her.

"Hey, girl, don't look so down."

Kisa looked over at the girl named Ino. So had Sakura, surprised that she was showing a little positive initiative on Kisa's part.

Ino was still a little embarrassed, but now had her wits about her again. She gave Kisa an encouraging look. "You didn't say anything wrong in there, so don't stress yourself like Forehead-girl here. It's just that we were both on completely different pages, and that can be forgiven."

Kisa blinked. "Pages of what?"

"…Uh."

Sakura joined in. "What she means is that we were just misunderstanding each other, that's all."

"I see… then, could you explain what you were describing earlier that had to do with men?"

Naturally, they both took it as the opportunity to teach Kisa about relationships, older girl to younger. At first, Sakura and Ino were feeling at a loss as to how exactly to approach the topic of boys and crushes. But once they started, it just naturally flowed. Though certain opinions conflicted, both Sakura and Ino began, in depth, with a topic they could both talk about and the logistics behind it. Their former crushes on the Uchiha prodigy, Sasuke.

Not that they felt less for him than before. It's just that the last few years were an ugly and unpleasant time where Sasuke was involved, and by now, both girls had matured, and eventually accepted that romance with the Uchiha wouldn't be possible right now.

It essentially became a storytime for Kisa, as Sakura and Ino went back to their Academy days, explaining the adoration that all the girls had for Sasuke, the feelings they felt when they first became genin, their experiences as a team, and how they developed as girls and kunoichi, and Kisa took it all in as if eager for knowledge. Though they digressed a little, they got back to the point of what goes on between guys and girls on a regular basis where feelings and normal relationships are involved.

Kisa found that she understood. She understood what the two girls were talking about when it came to males. Though the settings and experiences that Kisa had were very different from Sakura and Ino's, she found that, if she stepped out of her normal perceptions a bit, that she could empathize with this situation that existed between a boy and a girl. Sakura and Ino were both associated with this Sasuke, they admired him, felt a desire to be with him, and wanted to have the honor of being able to call him their own. However, such a relationship had to be mutual, so the girls did all they could to draw the eye of Sasuke and hopefully have him acquire the same feelings and desire for the girls that they did him. The boy and the girl were friends, but the girl wanted a deeper connection with the boy. Kisa then, in turn, related to Sakura and Ino what she learned from them and that she understood. She knew her wording was strange to them, but they accepted it as how Kisa was.

Kisa also asked if her previous statements regarding men and women were incorrect, and Sakura and Ino, reluctantly but then insistently, told her that none of what Kisa believed was wrong, but the situation was off. Seeking a way to explain so that Kisa could understand, Sakura went on about how the basic dating relationship served as a basis for everything else that was to come, and that it also served as a sort of testing stage where one could gather experience and mature. And later, when a girl was completely settled with and devoted to a guy, things like marriage and… sex… would become perfectly viable options.

Once they were all done, all three girls just sat and relaxed. They didn't know why, but Sakura and Ino both felt like they bonded with Kisa a little bit. They weren't sure what Kisa was thinking, but they were both glad that she wasn't so depressed now.

And with slow realization, Sakura and Ino found that they both had something they could share and not fight over. Their liking towards Kisa. Even if they still hardly knew her, they both now felt like older sisters.

Kisa herself also felt as though she developed a bond with the two kunoichi, even though only several days ago Sakura was a complete stranger, and she had only just met Ino. The older blond girl's more excitable and aggressive personality did scare her a little still, but that didn't deter her. Kisa felt like she had friends, which was something she never had for a while. And she did know the feelings they were talking about, just not in the exact context that they meant.

"So Kisa…?" Sakura and Kisa both turned to Ino, who had spoken up and was eagerly looking towards Kisa, "Now that we finally cleared this up, I have to ask. Have you ever had a crush?" Now Sakura was eagerly looking towards Kisa, expecting hopefully a positive answer. Kisa, however, felt a little embarrassed with what she had to say.

"Well… before I answer you, Ino, there's something else I wanted to ask that wasn't quite clear to me."

"Yeah? And what's that?"

"Well… I understand now what dating and relationships are and what it means to like a guy, but…"

"Hmm?"

"Neither of you never did define what the word 'crush' means."

"…"

"…"

"…Uh?" Kisa nowadays tended to take silence as a bad omen, but Sakura and Ino only burst into laughter, leaving Kisa feeling confused and perplexed.

-

-

* * *

Author's Notes: -- my chapters are growing too long for my taste, but maybe it's better this way. 

Call me paranoid, but I feel like I skimped on many details or facts. One of my main concerns is whether I portrayed Ino in a proper manner, but my sister insists that I did it perfectly.

I originally had very different plans for this chapter, but the change in plans as I wrote turned into the perfect opportunity for me for further development. What was originally going to be an all humor chapter turned into something a little deeper and more worthwhile towards the end, I think. While innocent, naïve antics and frustrated rants have their place and are all great for a story, it's established in my mind and I think that bit should be clear to everyone that Bring Me Home or Leave Me Be isn't meant to be a happy-go-lucky story. Sensitive and unpleasant issues and conflicts will become prevalent as we meet more people and learn more about Kisa. Kisa may seem fine now, but something still stews and lurks within her that will instill horror and doubt in those around her. Angst will eventually become common, and I can't even promise a happy ending to the story for you guys, or even for Kisa.

Although that may be too much to say too early, as this story isn't even half done.

In any case, I would really like to continue to get the reader's input, as this story is as much for you as it is for me.

-


	9. Symptoms of Insanity

Author's Notes: I'm sorry that this chapter took much longer to come out. However, I just finished finals. That should explain much.

I decided to change the genre of my fic to humor/drama for the time being. Horror and angst aside, I never meant to make this fic a particularly humorous one, but I seem to keep unconsciously putting it in, and it does come out pretty funny. Plus you guys seem to love it.

Also, there's going to be a lot of talk about chakra systems, which I'm not an expert on, but I can theorize. As I'm stepping on pretty new ground, if anyone notices that I described something completely wrong from cannon, please tell me.

I just noticed now that I'm really big on mood changes in my writing, abrupt or otherwise. I hope I don't offend someone out there with that.

Neji might seem a little OOC in this chapter, but he's really not.

A mild glimpse into Kisa's mind and origins will be seen towards the end.

Now the story continues, finally.

* * *

- 

-

"I see. Tell them to hurry." The Anbu in front of Tsunade bowed then left, leaving Tsunade at her desk as her brow furrowed in thought.

She just got word of this so-called lizard woman named Tanya. Team 8 returned to Konoha immediately, and Kakashi was bringing her to Konoha for questioning at this moment. As is normal procedure for such a case, Tanya would be treated well and fairly, but still be in a room under surveillance. That is, if she cooperates. The Anbu implied that she might not.

And right now, Tsunade was asking herself the same question Kakashi did. Did this woman have anything to do with Kisa?

On the subject of Kisa, Tsunade hasn't been keeping too close an eye on her since she left the hospital a couple days ago. She trusted Sakura to take good care of the girl, and as expected Sakura sent back thorough reports on Kisa and her mental state. So Tsunade hasn't been able to meet with Kisa again personally yet.

What she has been doing, however, was discuss her situation, in council, with other medic-nins, a few elite jounin, and Neji and Hinata, those who helped handle Kisa and those who hadn't but who's professional opinion still mattered.

Summing up their total knowledge of Kisa, from first contact, to the hospital stay, to her interactions with people, and her being free to move, one thing was clear to them. Kisa wasn't just simply strange, socially inept, or culturally different. Kisa was mentally unbalanced on an unprecedented scale, which made her quite possibly clinically insane. Not necessarily dangerous, but wholly unpredictable. All this was clear to them.

What was not clear to them was what exactly they were going to do about it.

Another medic-nin started by pointing out the obvious. Treating Kisa mentally might be difficult for them since no one in Konoha truly specialized in mental treatment. Psychology was a more common field among their elites, not their medics, but no one who studied it was in any way qualified to treat a mental patient. Incidentally, the only master of field they had was Ibiki, and everyone agreed, Ibiki included, that he wasn't suited to treating a girl.

In fact, there were very few mental doctors in the world, none of which lived in Fire country. But they were hardly anyone of renown or fame. The simple reason for this was explained by a jounin. Everyone who was considered insane tended to be highly dangerous criminals who were either in hiding, locked away in prisons, or dead. In other words, they were out of sight where no one thought of them. Milder cases simply remained at home or had a semi-permanent room in the local hospital. And among shinobi, those who had some mental imbalance were expected to simply deal with it or die in the field.

To these words, everyone simply had to think of Kisa. She was _not_ a milder case who could simply stay at home with a housemaid. Despite her gentle personality, she did kill other shinobi in a frightening fashion, which gave credit to her instability. But neither was she a highly dangerous criminal. At least, as far as they knew. They couldn't simply lock her away or kill her. The Hokage was against that and no one argued. However, neither would she agree to simply making her leave, not after promising aid and sanctuary.

Tsunade had shared with the rest of them earlier that she was told by Kisa that there were shinobi out there who wanted to capture her, and that she killed only in self-defense. This was a credible explanation, due to her apparent blood-limit, though no one could guess exactly what it was, not even Neji or Hinata. They came to the scene after she was done, after all.

Another jounin then stated that they might be completely overeating. True, Kisa had some major quirks, unknown shinobi skills and an unknown blood-limit, but none of that meant that she was insane or dangerous to have. In fact, she might just be faking it to fool them. This was met with thoughtful silence, until Neji replied.

"Though it'd be easy for a trained shinobi to feign mental illness and act out a different personality, no one can fake the swirling green chaos I saw in her eyes." Hinata looked at her cousin in surprise. She didn't know why. It just didn't sound like something Neji would say. Then again, no one other than Hinata saw that Neji was quite shaken by his first impression with the green-eyed girl. This was met with silence also.

"You know…" everyone turned to one of the medics. "Since she's so polite and open, we could possibly just _ask_ her what her blood-limit is, and she might tell us."

"…That's rather rude, though, isn't it? Blood-limits that no one knows are like that for a reason."

Tsunade was contemplative, then turned to the Hyuuga medic-nins and Neji and Hinata. "What can you tell me about her chakra?"

None of them quite knew how to put it, so Neji put it in as bluntly as he could. "Shinobi who've gone through my 128 strikes have more orderly and natural chakra systems than she does."

"Truly bizarre."

"Just… wrong."

The other Hyuuga medics were putting in their two cents. Tsunade turned to the silent Hinata, who spent the most time and effort in observing Kisa's chakra system while treating her. "What about you, Hinata?" She jumped a little at the question.

"Ano… I've never seen anything like it."

"Compare it with a normal chakra system."

"Well… a normal chakra system is vivid and static. It flows regularly and in even currents like blood, and tenketsu let it flow out of the body. Overall, it's stable."

"And Kisa's?"

"Kisa's is very unstable… and it makes me worried about her… overall health."

"Describe it."

"Well… her chakra pathways… shift."

Tsunade had to raise an eyebrow. "Shift?"

"There's not other way to describe it best. Her chakra pathways flow in normal directions, but they don't stay in place. It's also uneven in many parts of her body, but it's randomized where."

Tsunade felt genuinely worried and concerned. That didn't sound healthy at all. Chakra pathways were not supposed to do that. "How are her tenketsu?"

Neji resisted the urge to sarcastically retort 'what tenketsu.' It would be a strange statement with dark implications that Neji found true for all intents and purposes.

Hinata seemed to shiver. "Ano… it took me a while, but I found them to be even more unstable. Not only do they not stay in place, but also they can't seem to keep a regular, stable flow. Some let out more than normal, and others let out much less. And… and some seem permanently blocked, while some that should be there just aren't there! She even has points where no other human being does! And… and…" Hinata stopped, lost for words. The reason was very obvious to everyone present. Simply looking at Kisa's chakra system scared the hell out of the Hyuuga heir.

A medic-nin spoke. "A theory I have regarding Kisa's chakra system is that Kisa may have incredible difficulty using her chakra for precise applications, which would lead to regularly wasting chakra whenever using it, like for a jutsu. Completely detrimental in most shinobi, but Kisa has a surprisingly large enough store of chakra that it seems to compensate for it. However, we don't know how her chakra flow would look while she uses a technique. This is all theory, after all."

Tsunade was feeling scared herself. Specifically, scared for Kisa. She went over what she personally knew about chakra in her mind, as she herself was a very accomplished medic-nin. She could think of only two cases that were remotely similar to Kisa's. Kisa's malleable and unstable chakra pathways was something akin to a baby's chakra system, one that was just developing and getting used to a body. Kisa was not a baby, but having this kind of chakra could be a good thing. The unevenness of flow and abnormal tenketsu points was similar to what senile old men and women would develop shortly before they die. Kisa was nowhere near old age or death, and having this kind of chakra could be a bad thing.

But how can Kisa have tenketsu that no one else does and be missing points that others do? There were shinobi who could condition their chakra to do that, but that took many, many years. Then again, that could simply be overruled if Kisa had the chakra level of, say, a demon. Then again, though not shinobi, many animals had unique tenketsu, so Kisa could simply not be human.

Tsunade forced herself to turn away from those thoughts.

"Something else," Everyone turned to Neji. "Kisa's chakra system and mental state seem directly tied to each other."

Everyone was surprised, and moved in closer to hear him better. "Whatever do you mean? How are they tied together?" A jounin asked.

"I'm saying that when Kisa's mind is more stable, so is her chakra system. When her mind is more unstable, her chakra system becomes so."

"How are you able to tell this?"

Neji gave a slight glare. "Because that's how she looks. I can see her chakra, and I'm an expert at reading people."

Everyone was in thought again. "So there's some relationship between Kisa's abnormal chakra pathways and her mental instability?"

Neji shrugged. "I only know what I see."

While everyone else went into further talk on Kisa and all her abnormalities, Hinata approached Tsunade. Tsunade said, "I want you to come with me when I go meet Tanya, alright?"

Hinata nodded. "Ano… Kisa will be okay, right?"

Tsunade smiled. "I know some of this discussion bothers you, Hinata."

"It's like they're talking about Kisa as if she's some kind of experiment."

Tsunade agreed. She didn't like it any more than Hinata did. "Well, Kisa is very perplexing to all of us, and they're trying to figure her out the best they can." Tsunade turned full-body to Hinata. "However, I think the most important point has already been agreed upon, and that is that whether we decide to treat her or not, Kisa will be kept safe here."

Hinata was happy to hear that. "Ano… How is Kisa doing right now?"

"From what I hear, she's doing very well in Konoha."

"But is she safe?"

Tsunade frowned a little. "I know full well that Konoha isn't the safest place in the world, as much as we would like to think so." Tsunade then leaned back, pleased. "However, I have full confidence that at this moment, Kisa is in very capable and responsible hands."

-

"Kay, Kisa-chan, now you slurp the ramen like this!" Loud slurp.

"Like this?" Equally loud slurp.

"Mhm," though it was hard for Naruto to speak with a mouth full of noodles. He was very pleased with himself. He made a new friend, _and_ he was having ramen. It was a great feeling.

"There you are, Kisa- WHAT!"

Naruto and Kisa, seated at Ichiraku Ramen, turned their heads towards a horrified Sakura and Ino, chopsticks in hand and noodles hanging from their mouths.

"NARUTO-BAKA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO KISA?"  
"DO SOMETHING, FOREHEAD-GIRL, YOUR TEAMMATE IS CORRUPTING HER!"

Kisa blinked while Naruto began to sweat nervously, hand behind his head. Sakura had that look again, that look that said she was going to pound something, usually Naruto. Contemplating and all oblivious-like, Kisa swallowed the noodles in her mouth and turned to Naruto. "By their implications, is there some taint in my food that you have not informed me off, Naruto-san?"

Naruto-_san_? Sakura and Ino mentally shrieked.

"No, no, of course not, Kisa-chan," Naruto replied happily, forgetting about the killer intent being directed his way. He then became more serious and reprimanding. "Ne ne, and what did I say about saying such hard sentences?"

Kisa blinked. Hard sentences…? "Is there something wrong with the way I speak, Naruto-san?"

No, NO! Sakura and Ino wanted to stop Naruto from melting Kisa's brain. They really did. But they still stared in horror, and began stewing in evil thoughts.

"Yeah! You don't have to speak like that all the time. It's like listening to someone reading off the dictionary. It gives me a headache."

Kisa was shocked. She was never aware that her words caused physical pain. "Oh, please forgive me, Naruto-san, for the… I'll…" Kisa stopped, realizing her mistake, then thought hard. "I mean… very sorry?" Kisa scratched her head.

Naruto grinned. "That's more like it, Kisa-chan, much easier!" Kisa smiled back, pleased that she was able to use simpler words.

Ohh…. Naruto, you are going to die a slow and painful death, thought Sakura and Ino.

"What were you doing here in the first place, Kisa?" said Sakura with a forced smile and in a strained voice.

"Oh, um…" Kisa looked a little ashamed. "I don't know. I just wandered… and I got lost. Then Naruto-san found me." Kisa brightened up then. "Then I met Naruto-san and he offered that I come with him to this wonderful eating establishment called Ichiraku Ramen! I have never had ramen in my life before, and despite the fact that I can practically taste the ungodly high sodium content, it's the best food I've ever had!" Kisa looked so happy.

Ino twitched. "So it's a kidnapping, is it?"

Naruto waved his arms. "Hey, it wasn't a kidnapping at all!"

"Excuse me, Naruto-san, but where's the nearest washroom?"

"Huh?" That was abrupt. "Oh, just down the street to the left."

"Thank you, Naruto-san." And without another word, Kisa up and left down the street.

"Wow, she must have really needed to go…" Then Sakura turned to Naruto. Naruto thought that now she was going to kill him, but as it turns out, Sakura wasn't going to. She wasn't even that angry anymore. "So what were you doing with Kisa, really?"

Naruto blinked, then shrugged. "I met Kisa-chan on my way to eat ramen. Is she new here, Sakura-chan? Do you know her?"

Ino got annoyed. "Are you that oblivious? Kisa is the girl that Neji and Hinata brought in the other day." Ino huffed. "The new girl that everyone around here likes to say bad things about."

Naruto was genuinely surprised. "Nani? That was Kisa-chan?" Suddenly, Naruto looked somber and serious. "That explains it then…"

Sakura and Ino shot him serious looks. "What? Did something happen with Kisa?"

"It's like I said, Sakura-chan, I was on my way to get ramen when I saw Kisa-chan all by herself. She was wandering around like she was half-asleep or something. And I swear her eyes were a little glowy, too, but I was probably just seeing things. But that's not what was important." Naruto suddenly seemed angry. "The people around her were whispering bad stuff about her, and Kisa-chan didn't seem to notice. I'm very sure one of them called her a monster. And that just… that really pissed me off!"

"I couldn't leave her alone like that, so I tried to make friends with her. Once she knew I was talking to her, she snapped out of it and acted more normal, butshe must have beenlost or something. I asked if she likes ramen, one thing led to another, and then you found us."

Sakura and Ino had listened silently and now remained quiet in their own thoughts. It was true then. Most of the citizens heard about Kisa, and they didn't like the idea of her being here. "That was very good of you to do, Naruto. I'm sorry I yelled," Sakura quietly said.

Naruto grinned and held his hands behind his head, happy with the compliment from Sakura. "Aww, thanks, Sakura-chan. You don't have to be sorry."

Ino smiled and shrugged a bit. "I guess you have some sense, after all. There's hope for you yet, Naruto."

"Ne, what do you mean by that?" Naruto asked suspiciously.

Ino sneered a bit. "What I mean is, that you're a weenie."

"Nani?"

"Hey, Ino, I'm going to go check on Kisa, kay?"

"Huh?" Ino and Naruto turned to Sakura, who looked worried. "What's the matter? She only went to the bathroom."

"That's the thing. I have a suspicion that Kisa didn't go to the bathroom at all."

-

Which, turns out, was true. Kisa didn't, in fact, go to the bathroom. She was, in fact, wandering as far from every living thing in Konoha as she could, her mind in utter turmoil.

Kisa did her best to hide it when she was around people. She tried very hard. But today, her mind wasn't agreeing with her. How can it, when all Kisa does is rebel against her clan's nature.

She stumbled by a tree and leaned heavily against it, and the tree gently coddled her in sympathy.

She wanted to scream Stop, but there was no one to yell it to, no one who would listen. All her clan was dead.

Her eyes glowed their baleful green. The shadows moved. They had voices. Requesting, pleading, and demanding that she stop holding back already. It's hurting her. It can kill her. But she couldn't, she wouldn't. She loved her new friends and her new home. They must never know the Nakada.

Kisa, clutching her pained temples, glared up at the bleeding sky, at the sadistic sun that wouldn't stop laughing at her expense. Silly Nakada, stop pretending, it chuckled with mirth. Stop pretending to be normal. But Kisa wanted it so badly. She refused to cry in front of the sun, so the tree by which she rested cried for her, and it asked the sun to show a little love. But the sun was not in a caring mood today. He never shows love for her kind.

Relief. She needed release and relief. She needed it now.

As if on request, a flock of crows flew near and rested underneath another tree, picking at the ground for bits and scraps.

Kisa turned to the crows. Happy, glutinous, and apathetic to her pain. She begged them to forgive her, but they couldn't care less. Kisa formed two seals, Bull, Dragon, and stretched her mind.

The crows screamed in outrage and confusion, and turned on each other in murderous bloodlust. Few minutes later, they screamed no more.

Another blight on her soul, but she didn't care.

The tree fell silent and touched her no more, and while the shadows still moved, they no longer whispered to her. The sky had no more wounds, but the sun still laughed at her.

Kisa was a nice person, but god, she hated the sun sometimes.

No longer feeling so much pressure in her mind, Kisa got up and continued walking. She felt bad for leaving Naruto, Sakura, and Ino without warning or notice, but hopefully they would forgive her for being so rude. For now, she just wanted to be away from people. Right now, she just wanted to take a nap.

Soon, she came to a clearing with targets and posts. This must be a training area, she thought. It's awfully far away from most of Konoha, she thought. She asked a post who it belonged to, but all it would show Kisa was an image. A red and white fan.

What is that suppose to mean, she asked, but the post wouldn't talk to her anymore.

Ah well, it didn't matter. She curled up right next to the post and fell right to sleep, ignoring the constant murmurings around her and praying that this time she would not have to dream.

But it's dangerous for a Nakada to pray. They never know what might answer.

-

-

-


	10. Tale of Two Clan Remnants

* * *

"Gah! We lost her again!" 

"This might be serious. We better find her soon. And you're helping us find her, Naruto!"

"But, but, I haven't finished my ramen…"

"NOW!"

-

Kisa, in large contrast to her earlier state of mind, was now sleeping quite peacefully, her mind and body at ease. This nap was just what she needed this time. Peace like this was something she usually only found in sleep, even if nightmares are just as common. Good sleep also stilled the Fever in her, though it didn't work for some of her family. Kisa liked sleep, because sometimes she saw her Mother, who she loved so much, or even other members of her family that she felt obliged to love. Sometimes, if she's lucky, she'll catch a glimpse of Aniki in her dreams.

Sleep only added to Kisa's beauty, giving her an ethereal look. Right now, with the sun overhead, combined with her hair, skin tone, and blissful look, Kisa looked something akin to an angel, resting under a dense canopy of trees.

"…"

Sadly, the dark-haired figure looming over her did not see her as such. On the contrary, he had a right mind to kill the intruder, courtesy and Konoha laws be damned.

Uchiha Sasuke, the pride and shame of Konoha, was not a happy person. He never was, really. Especially of late, after his relatively recent return to Konoha. It took quite a while for him to calm down and settle down after the debacle with Orochimaru.

That didn't matter though. Little did to Sasuke.

Sasuke got what he wanted from being with Orochimaru. More power. After returning to Konoha, it became clear to Sasuke that he wouldn't be getting any more powerful under Orochimaru, so he was done with him. Shortly after he learned what the curse seal really did to him, he got it removed. Mainly with the combined efforts of Tsunade and Kakashi, and earlier, Kabuto. Sasuke didn't know why the traitor medic-nin weakened his seal without Orochimaru knowing. However, he was all too aware that Kabuto had an agenda of his own, and he had no incentive to discourage it.

Sasuke's time with Oto was over, and now he was back in Konoha, among friends, and family.

Was Sasuke glad to be back in Konoha, back home, welcome or no?

Kind of.

Was Sasuke glad to be among his fellow rookie nine, who were somewhat relieved to have him back?

In a way, yes.

Was Sasuke happy to be along side Team 7 once again, with Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and his best friend/rival, Naruto?

He found that yes, yes he was.

Ultimately, did any of that matter?

Not a single bit.

After taking his first walk around Konoha after his return, he found that nothing at all had changed, and that infuriated him inside.

Konoha itself didn't change much from his perspective. Girls still pined after him, though not as much. Naruto was still an idiot, though he was just a tad bit less annoying. Actually, no, he was still as annoying as ever, but he has certainly gotten a lot stronger since the last time. He showed no surprise at this, and, inside, he expected no less of him.

The Uchiha complex was as empty and devoid of life as ever, and it was when he walked within its walls for the first time in a while that he was reminded of his goal. Of the reason why he turned his back on Konoha in the first place.

To gain more power and kill his older brother, Itachi, murderer of his clan and the man who ruined his life.

Nothing had changed. That infuriated him inside.

So he was back in Konoha. That's fine. For a time. Can he gain more power here? Maybe, but not enough. Far from enough. Fortunately, his time with Orochimaru had taught him the value of patience, and given him a broader outlook on his life, and destiny.

Sasuke will enjoy his time in Konoha while he can, and draw what little warmth he's comfortable with in the form of his friends. But though he tells them otherwise, in truth, his return to Konoha is only temporary. Sasuke's destiny is not within Konoha's walls. Somewhere in the world, there is something or someone who will give Sasuke more power. The power he needs.

He hasn't found it yet, though, so for now he makes do with routine. Routines that haven't changed.

A big part of his routine involved Itachi's old training ground. Sasuke now came here twice, sometimes three times a day. He has too much time on his hands, and he's not comfortable with doing nothing. Every time, he would train as Itachi did, pushing himself beyond his limits.

And knowing every time that it still wasn't fast enough. Not for Itachi.

It was a frustrating routine that he took part in day after day, but still a normal, regular one that Sasuke found a bit of comfort in.

Which is why it really irked him to find this white haired stranger here, in his private and hidden training area where no one else came, _asleep_ no less, interrupting his routine.

His first thought was that it was a dumb enemy kunoichi who found her way here on the far obscure side of the Konoha woods. If that were so, there'd be nothing wrong with killing her on the spot. The fact that she had no headband didn't deter that thought either. But Sasuke stayed his kunai and evaluated the situation further. A Konoha citizen? No citizen came out this far from Konoha.

Wait a minute. Wasn't there talk in town about a new arrival to Konoha? Sasuke hardly listened to what word was spread around Konoha, but even this reached his ears. Alternating stories of a madwoman, psychotic killer, demon in human guise, and other heresy. Is this her?

Sasuke glowered at Kisa's sleeping form and decided that he wasn't impressed in the least. However, Sasuke also knew better by now than to trust appearances alone. Perhaps the rumors had some merit. This girl, fragile as she looks, could turn out to be a formidable foe. Maybe.

We'll see about that. Sasuke decided that she had slept long enough. "Hey, wake up." The girl stirred but didn't wake. Sasuke raised his voice to a more threatening level. "I'm not going to ask you again." Still she didn't wake. Not wanting to drag this on any longer, Sasuke nudged the girl in her side with his foot.

With no fuss or dramatics whatsoever, the girl's eyes simply snapped open. Only her startling bright green eyes moved to gaze up at Sasuke, who was doing his best to let his displeasure be known silently.

For a moment Sasuke thought he saw something stir behind her eyes, something… wrong. It almost gave Sasuke a shiver. But it was gone the moment it appeared, and all that stared at him was an innocent face and green eyes that looked scared.

As she damn well better be. At least she wasn't a fangirl. Lord knows he'd seen enough of them to recognize them on sight. He saw no starry adoration in her eyes, which was good. Sasuke suspected that the very sound of his voice would be enough to awaken a rabid fangirl from slumber, but fortunately, this girl wasn't one.

It was after briefly musing on fangirls that he realized that all she was doing was staring fearfully at him, and nothing else.

"…"

"…"

This was getting annoying. Sasuke gave it another five seconds. "Get up."

Slowly, the girl sat up straight, eyes always on him. Now he got a better look at her. What was she, 12, 13 or something?

"…"

"…"

Sasuke impatiently crossed his arms. "Well?"

The girl's gaze began to drift off to the side, and then to the other, and back, seemingly looking for something, but taking her time doing so.

What was this girl, retarded?

Then suddenly, the girl bolted up, catching even Sasuke off-guard but he automatically had a kunai out. But the girl wasn't going for him. She turned and made a beeline toward some spot deeper into the woods. What was she doing over there? She wasn't heading to town, and his highly keen sight detected no weapons or hidden items in the area. But she seemed to be meticulously working on something rather frantically.

Still wary, but also curious, Sasuke waited where he was until the girl finally stood from her spot and came back his way, with what suspiciously looked like a flower in her hand.

Sasuke suppressed a groan. Looks like he has another fangirl. Maybe killing her wouldn't be all that bad-

The girl held out the item to Sasuke with both hands, her head bowed.

…What the hell?

It wasn't anything threatening at all, but neither did it seem like any gift that Sasuke received by anyone.

The girl was bearing… a daisy.

A daisy with half of its petals carefully plucked off and the stalk bent in half.

Sasuke said the only thing he could think of.

"Is this a joke?"

The girl bowed her head lower, and spoke in a soft and subdued voice. "It's a peace offering. The missing petals and broken stalk reflect my sorry and humble state to assure you that I mean no offense, and I chose a daisy because… well…" The girl peeked up at Sasuke. "I discerned you as the type to dislike flowers, so I picked out the simplest and most unobtrusive one possible." She bowed her head again. "It's the only peace offering I'm able to offer at this moment, so I ask that you not kill, molest, or rape me in any manner, shape or form."

…Wow….

Okay…

Sasuke didn't let it show, but he honestly, for once, felt a bit awkward.

It was nice that someone took him seriously for the superior shinobi that he was, but he most certainly was not a molester or rapist. That was a bit much, even for Sasuke. Though he was quite sure that Orochimaru would have no qualms about abducting this crazy girl. Though he could see now that though her body was developing very nicely, it was also thin and a little on the pale side.

The action didn't offend him. If anything, it bordered on comical for Sasuke, as well as being pleasing for the show of deference. He allowed himself a small smirk.

"I don't want your offering, but I won't kill you either. I'm not even going to touch you if I can help it."

The girl looked up at him with inquiring eyes. "Really?"

Sasuke didn't like repeating himself. "Yes."

The girl looked a little relieved and had less tension about her. In a swift motion, she popped the "peace offering" in her mouth and ate it without complaint.

"…"

Sasuke guessed those rumors had some merit after all. This girl was definitely disturbed in some way.

He really needed to train, but he was no longer motivated to kill this girl outright. So he decided that a more civil approach would work best for getting her out of here.

"Are you really that weak?"

That's about as civil as Sasuke felt like being.

She looked at him with surprise then gazed at him carefully, as if evaluating him in some manner. "What do you mean? Among the general shinobi population here in Konoha, or in comparison to you specifically? Theoretically, I should be able to hold my own against some of the shinobi here, but if you mean yourself, I think it's safe to assume that your power and skill exceed mine."

…This girl might be crazy, but she was also smart. "Do I now?"

The girl shrugged. "I simply speak what is most likely."

Sasuke nodded knowingly, though he felt kind of disgusted at her subdued and submissive attitude. He then remembered the issue at hand. "You know you're trespassing, right?"

The girl looked saddened by the question, and slowly nodded. "I assumed when I woke up that I was. Please forgive me for my intrusion, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, but I was in serious and dire need of rest."

Sasuke was willing to believe that. As this training area was mostly hidden, it was more common for people to come across it accidentally if they didn't know where they were going. That didn't make it any less forgivable, though. "And you guessed that this is a training area, correct?" She nodded. "That means that if you're not here to train, then leave." He let a little anger slip into that last sentence.

The girl just looked at him, then turned her gaze elsewhere, as if listening to something else. She straightened up and nodded firmly. "Right, I understand."

Sasuke didn't let his relief show. Good, she got the idea. She wasn't going to cling to him, and she's finally going to leave. Now she could leave him alone to-

"I'll train then."

Twitch!

"…" Can't she take a hint? Now Sasuke was starting to get annoyed at this girl who, up until this point, actually amused him and didn't annoy him as much as practically everyone else.

He most certainly wasn't going to allow her to train here with him. But though she wasn't all over him, it didn't seem like she'd be leaving right away.

Calm down, Sasuke, she's not worth killing.

"Are you even a shinobi?" He guessed that she was, since by now he could feel that her chakra level was a moderate one. Let's see if she's honest about it.

"Umm… to a degree, yes."

To a degree? What was that supposed to mean? You either are a ninja or you aren't.

"What village are you from, cause I know you aren't from Konoha." Depending on the village, Sasuke may be allowed to kick her out himself.

"Umm…" The girl fidgeted and looked away, losing a bit of focus before turning her gaze back to Sasuke. "I don't come from a shinobi village. Not one as you would know it. It was more of a… secluded community, and none of us had seen a shinobi village. We've long since disbanded, so…."

Way to be vague and mysterious. Well, where she came from exactly didn't especially matter to Sasuke. He then asked a simpler question.

"Do you know any jutsus?"

"Oh! Mhm, I know a handful of jutsus…" The girl then looked a bit… depressed? "Though... It'd be better for my personal well being if I didn't have to reveal them all."

Well, she seemed to have at least _some_ sense as a kunoichi. And it's not like he asked to see them all. He didn't particularly care what this stranger knew.

Although… Could he possibly learn something useful?

"Let's see a few."

The girl looked at him quizzically, as if she didn't hear what he said. "Why?"

Sasuke shrugged, then he came up with the perfect excuse that he'd say, which would always work against Naruto, the dobe. "I don't know you at all. You seem more like a civilian to me. I don't think you really are a shinobi, or much of anything else."

Clean hit.

It seemed more likely that the girl would cower even more from the taunts, like Hyuuga Hinata back in the day, but Sasuke was hoping for another reaction. Not disappointed, Sasuke got the reaction he wanted, and he allowed himself another smirk at the dramatic change, since it was clear that he had struck a chord.

Though her face was still gentle, she underwent small changes. Her eyes at first grew wide before they narrowed and hardened, a fist slowly clenched, and the way she held herself became more stable and firm. What's more, all her focus was now totally, completely, on Sasuke.

She was angered, and, frankly, she didn't look as crazy now.

"And who might you be then, good sir, because I don't know you either. I doubt I could ever forget that countenance of yours." Her voice was still soft, but now had sarcasm and maybe a hint of malice.

Sasuke preferred it this way. He found that he didn't like to take advantage of innocents and weaklings like his former master. He preferred fighting and killing shinobi who could stand their ground. Because only when fighting other shinobi will you get stronger.

You weren't a shinobi if you weren't proud of it. But more than just being proud of it, you have to back it. And when you can back it, perform it again and again. This is how all shinobi should be, focused, direct, unyielding, merciless, and above all, strong.

Not prettying yourself up or chasing after someone you'll never have, wasting all your time that you could use to make yourself stronger.

Not keeping to foolish promises or proclaiming dreams and doctrines that have no meaning in the long run of being a silent, killing elite.

And not walking with uncertainty, keeping a face that is meek, downtrodden and servile, like the girl in front of him was before.

All of them were weak, in one way or another, and Sasuke innately despised the weak.

But now, the green-eyed, white-haired girl in front of him was looking a little stronger, and this pleased him more than her death would.

Because of their interactions, Sasuke wasn't surprised to hear that she didn't know him. However, he was more than happy to change that fact. This girl will know who he is.

"Uchiha Sasuke of the Uchiha clan," he said with no small amount of pride. "You?"

"Nakada Kisa of the Nakada clan," she said in turn with a hint of pride.

"Pfft. Never heard of any Nakada."

"Never had the 'honor' to meet any Uchiha."

Still smaller, but now standing straighter, "And now you may ask me again, politely, Uchiha-san."

Uchiha-san? Funny as the thought was, it sounded strange hearing that out of a girl. Sasuke said it again in his mind, and decided that he much preferred the honorific than the affectionate Sasuke-kun that followed him everywhere.

"Alright then, Nakada-_chan_. May I see a few of your techniques?" Sasuke knew what was coming and smirked.

He activated his Sharingan.

"Only if I get to see a few of yours, oh most mighty and on high Uchiha-san." Kisa was still mad, but now had a small smile.

Her eyes glowed balefully.

Somehow during their discussion, the two of them made it to the middle of the training ground.

"…"

"…"

The two leapt up high, and both formed two seals, which surprised the two of them, but only encouraged them more.

Their handseals were identical.

Simultaneously and in perfect synch, Uchiha Sasuke and Nakada Kisa unleashed their starting jutsu.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!" Grand Fireball technique!

-

-

-

**

* * *

Character Notes:** I'll be frank. I actually dislike Sasuke. No, I don't hate him, just dislike. However, I couldn't let that hinder my fic, because, truthfully, Sasuke plays some major roles in this fic that only he can fill and no one else. It's unfortunate that it took ten chapters for him to finally make his debut, which I think is a great one for him, as well as a further look on Kisa and the effect Sasuke has on her. Before you ask, I actually want to deviate from a SasukexKisa, if only because I find the task of making a stable relationship between Sasuke and Kisa a very daunting task, emphasis on the word stable. Fluff is possible, but it's difficult for me to realistically create anything long-lasting between Sasuke and, well, anyone. That's what I'm going for in my portrayal of Sasuke, realism and truth, the most realistic approach on a slightly older and more experienced Uchiha Sasuke. Actually, I try to make everything here as realistic as possible, but Sasuke is a more sensitive topic. 

I'll have further notes on Sasuke in the next chapter. I want you guys to have the first word.

Can't reveal any deep dark secrets on Kisa or the Nakada clan quite yet, though you'll definitely be learning more. However, I can promise you that next chapter will show some clan specific jutsus. And don't worry. Not all of them can be swiped by Sasuke.

Please voice any other questions regarding this chapter. I'd be glad to cover them in my notes.


	11. Uchiha vs Nakada

Disclaimer: I've been forgetting to remind everyone that I don't own Naruto. Sorry about that.

Author's Notes: Like with most of my chapters, this one didn't turn out quite the way I expected (hell, in my original planning, Sasuke and Kisa weren't even going to fight!). However, also with those chapters, I prefer and really like how this one turned out in the end. Unfortunately and fortunately, this chapter isn't going to feature many Nakada jutsus (but not from lack of trying, I do have a list you know), because most of them just aren't appropriate for this situation. Plus I was afraid it was going to have to turn into a massive jutsu-fest between Sasuke and Kisa and I don't really want that right now (I'm really sorry if that's what you were expecting but it's not practical for development). You'll get to see more of them in due time. And I decided that further character notes on Sasuke aren't necessary, since it seems most people get what I'm trying to do with him.

This is my longest chapter yet. There might be a few weak or messy parts in it.

This chapter changes POV's a lot between Sasuke, Kisa, and third-person. Sorry if it gets annoying.

Sasuke and Kisa might seem a bit OOC at times in this chapter, but I see it more as the two of them bringing out the bad things, and a bit of the good things, in each other.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

* * *

- 

-

-

"Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!" Grand Fireball technique!

Two very impressive fireballs spewed from both shinobi and collided in the center, canceling each other out. But this wasn't a contest to win. Sasuke held back for obvious reasons, whereas Kisa gave it her all.

However, something was very off.

Kisa's fire was green.

The fireballs died out, and Uchiha and Nakada, once back on the ground, silently accessed each other from a distance, letting their faces show nothing.

The air stank of sulfur.

-

"What the hell" was that was all Sasuke could think of. Their seals were the same and the technique was the same. Why was her Katon coming out green of all things? In what twisted way was that girl molding her chakra to make it come out like that? And why did it smell like sulfur?

All his Sharingan eye could detect was that her technique was identical to his, but Sasuke knew clearly that it was different. Then his Sharingan showed that differences lay in the actual make-up of her flame, which was something closer to a chemical fire. It must be something with her innate chakra, because the amount of chakra she used in the technique was relatively low, but it had a high output. The actual flame didn't seem especially powerful, but he didn't want to learn its properties the hard way.

He wanted to know what she did. Wanted to know with a passion. And one way or another, he was going to learn how to use this green Katon.

Sasuke was angered, but that anger was tempered by eagerness, because he was now confident that he would gain something from Kisa.

-

"Oh my god" was what Kisa was thinking, feeling both impressed and a bit inadequate. She had never seen or felt such a strong Katon before. And in its natural form, no less!

She had never questioned anyone as to why she had to learn the Akuma variant of Katon while everyone not Nakada was taught normal Katon. All she ever heard was that some jutsus didn't work right with the Nakada clan as they did with everyone else. So the clan had to adapt to different, more obscure methods to create similar effects.

But they didn't say it was impossible for Nakada to use natural Katon, only very difficult. This was never shared outside the clan, but for all its utility, normal Katon had more sheer power behind it than Akuma Katon. She always wished she could learn the natural form. Akuma Katon felt wrong, tasted weird, and she hated the smell.

Kisa easily ignored the murmurings and whispers around her, feeling more focused and thrilled than she ever did.

-

"…"

"…"

In the blink of an eye, Sasuke flung three kunai.

Kisa was a bit slow to respond. She spun for the sake of momentum, and flung three of her razors and slightly deflected the three kunai just enough to miss her, but one managed to nick her arm.

-

Sasuke smirked inside. Hah, she's slow, but she's good with those razor blades. They're not as sturdy as kunai, but he'll bet they're a lot sharper. He briefly wondered how they really handled.

-

Kisa swore inside, knowing she was at a disadvantage fighting from a distance. Her razors were more for melee than to be flung. While she's in Konoha, maybe she should get better with kunai.

-

"…"

"…"

Both Sasuke and Kisa made a dash to their right, strafing each other and keeping each other in their sights. Both focused chakra in their hand and mouth. Whereas Sasuke spat numerous smaller fireballs Kisa's way, Kisa blew her green fire right onto her hands, igniting them with green flames but not harming her. As Sasuke kept spitting fireballs, those that Kisa couldn't dodge she diffused with her flame hands. Whenever Sasuke allowed her an opening, Kisa would fling the green flames from her hands as if they were shuriken, but then Kisa would need to administer the flames again.

Both stopped, and Sasuke blew one big fireball at her, knowing she wouldn't be able to respond with the same in time. It was little trouble for Kisa, who formed a few seals and blew her green fire at the ground, where it rose up and formed a barrier that dispelled most of the fireball but still left her barely singed.

Both were still once again.

"…"

"…"

To hell with the jutsus.

Both Sasuke and Kisa rapidly closed in on each other to engage in taijutsu.

It was clear in both their minds that the purpose of this engagement was really not to harm each other, but test each other. Sasuke wanted to see just how good Kisa really was, and to see exactly where she really was weak. Kisa wanted to see if Sasuke was really that good, and to see if his arrogance was justified.

Kisa made a headfirst leap at Sasuke, leaving herself wide open. Sasuke, not trying, palmed Kisa in the shoulder, making her upper body go back. But that attack and momentum allowed Kisa to force her lower body forward, and Kisa tightly clenched her legs around Sasuke's mid-chest.

"What the f-"

Kisa, a very light Kisa, had a crazy leg-grip around Sasuke that allowed her to stay balanced. Sasuke saw Kisa with a slightly maniacal look to her face before the blows landed. Kisa, just as Sasuke did, resorted to palm hits, inflicting numerous light attacks on a befuddled Sasuke, who finally forced her off with a very inefficient double kidney hit due to his position.

Kisa, back on the ground, came at Sasuke once again with a number of strange jabs and kicks, which might do decent damage if Kisa were being serious, but would practically, always be ineffective against someone of Sasuke's caliber. Sasuke proudly displayed this fact by dodging her attacks with visibly minimal effort. It was frustrating for Kisa, but it also put her in awe.

But truthfully, Sasuke really did need to stay on his toes, if only because Kisa's taijutsu style seemed… utterly random. She moved a lot, much more than was needed, and came at him from weird angles and positions that by all rights shouldn't allow her to even be able to strike hard, but yet she had a moderate damage output in Sasuke's mental calculations.

Come to think of it, a lot of her movements seemed vaguely… puppet-like. Kind of like Kankuro's Karasu, but not quite.

One thing in particular stuck in Sasuke's mind as he easily dodged the strange attacks. Kisa's taijutsu style had an annoying habit of bring her body very close to Sasuke, like, intimate in-your-face close, though he very much doubted it was to steal a hug or kiss. Sasuke puzzled at this for a while, so to test, he slowed down a bit and threw out a few average and ineffectual punches and kicks of his own to see how she'd react, only to find that those attacks weren't very effective on her, not even hitting her. Kisa noticed this, too, and she let her pleasure show on her face as she continued.

It was a disturbing revelation for Sasuke. Kisa didn't seem all that great at taijutsu, but if Kisa ever became a master of whatever the hell she was taught, her style could easily render most other styles useless, and Sasuke now knew why.

For a punch or kick to truly be effective, it has to be delivered fast and from a body focal point. There's a range at which the limb needs to extend quickly, and aiming the fist or foot at certain distances and points deals more damage than others. It's one of the most basic principles that virtually all known fighting styles take into account.

By bringing her body very close to his and moving the way she does, Kisa not only falls significantly under those ranges that the limbs need to stretch, but also far away from the points and distances where the fists and feet can and should land to deal damage. This deficiency should apply to Kisa also, but careful observation shows that she makes up for this by using attacks that rely on circular momentum, quick 90, 180, or 360 degrees movements of the body or limbs

It was a very bizarre, but very effective way to fight. Sasuke couldn't help but feel a little impressed and in awe. And Kisa was quite aware that Sasuke was impressed.

It was time to change that though. Raising his performance just a little bit, Sasuke dodged a few more times until he performed a low kick that tripped Kisa and while she was still in the air sent another kick right into her stomach, not enough to incapacitate her, but enough to send her flying.

And for a brief instant she was indeed flung by the kick… until Sasuke realized she had a firm grip on his kicking foot.

"Teehee!"

"Oh hell no…"

With alarming strength and speed Kisa climbed the length Sasuke's leg and body up to his face, looking for all the world like a giant green-eyed insect. The inhuman maneuver would have scared a lesser shinobi shitless.

Not Sasuke though. At the last second when it was clear Kisa was going to attack, Sasuke spun his body fiercely in mid-air, landing a backfist on Kisa's shoulder with circular momentum, flinging her off him to land some paces away, while he stopped in place.

"…"

"…"

Both relaxed. They didn't know who decided it, but it was simply decided that it was over. Sasuke's Sharingan faded away, and Kisa's eyes lost their glow. Though not hurt much, Kisa looked the worst for wear, but she had a proud smile on her face that showed her youth, and Sasuke admitted that it's a smile deserved even if he wasn't smiling himself.

The end result was clear. Sasuke was definitely the superior shinobi, but Kisa had left quite an impression on him.

However, before either of them could voice anything, both felt the presence of another shinobi. Still half-high on adrenaline, both whirled around-

"…Yes?"

Kisa stood awkwardly frozen while Sasuke went from battle-ready to world-weary in two seconds flat. Of all the people to find him here… "What are you doing here?"

"Tsk tsk. Now, now, Sasuke, is that any way to speak to your instructor?

Kakashi-sensei was leaning back on a tree with his book in hand, though his lazy gaze moved between Sasuke and Kisa. Kisa, meanwhile, was feeling shy and seemed to slightly shrink into herself in the presence of this stranger.

"Well, this has saved a number of people some time, particularly finding you two. And together no less, far out in the woods, all alone." Sasuke slightly bristled and Kisa had a slight blush as Kakashi allowed himself a chuckle till he turned to Kisa. "Naruto and Sakura have been looking for you rather frantically, but I'll tell them both that you've been safe and in good hands. At least, I trust you were."

Sasuke wasn't fully confident on what exactly his sensei was implying this time, but he glared for good measure nonetheless.

"Oh, by the way, my name is Hatake Kakashi. I am the instructor of Team 7, which is composed of Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke right there, all of whom you've met. And you are Kisa, right?"

"Oh, mhm." Kisa politely bowed. "It's an honor to meet you, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi nodded a couple times, eyes closed. "It's good that the two of you have gotten acquainted so well and quickly. It saves for introductions later. However, we cannot allow you to get hurt, Kisa, as it leaves a bad impression with certain people. And Sasuke, I'm sure you realize by now that Kisa is a guest to Konoha, and so you should treat her accordingly." He crossed his arms. "That said, I think it'll be established that there will be no more fighting between you two. Understood?"

Sasuke turned his head slightly. "Hmph."

Kisa scratched her chin nervously. "We… weren't really fighting, Kakashi-sensei. Truly we meant no harm at all."

Kakashi's eye rose a bit and he smiled. "Oh? So then what was all this? Just 'playful teasing' then?"

"…"

"…"

To that, neither Sasuke nor Kisa could say anything. To them that's _exactly_ what it was.

Kakashi shrugged. "In any case, I bring news. The Hokage has recommended that you spend the next week or so with our Team 7, Kisa. Just for a bit while you are slowly introduced to the rest of Konoha and its shinobi. In fact, we're all going to meet in the usual spot in… oh…" Overhead, a hawk flew by, the signal hawk for jounin to assemble. It wasn't a strange sight, but that was the third time it's been seen within two days. Kakashi turned back, "Let's say three hours. If you don't know where that is, Kisa, you can ask Sasuke here. There's no problem with that, right Sasuke?"

"Is it going to take that long?"

Kakashi chuckled and looked slightly exasperated. "If it's what I think it's about, yes, it might take a bit of time." He took out and set down two bottles of water and a small container of healing salve. "Now get refreshed and clean, and meet at our spot in three hours." Kakashi smiled. "Have fun, you two." And poof, he was gone, leaving Sasuke to grumble and Kisa feeling perplexed at the quirky shinobi.

Kisa gingerly walked over and sat beside the healing salve, of which with she began gently and meticulously administering to all her bruises and cuts.

Sasuke simply sat where he was, looking over and musing more about Nakada Kisa. He could simply just start training on his own whilst ignoring Kisa, but he somehow felt no desire to do so. This day has already turned into something interesting, and he felt a desire to keep it that way. Afterall, Sasuke was very aware that someday his daily routine would have to change for the better. While it can be debated whether Kisa made his day better or worse, it certainly was an opportunity.

Most people would feel more curious about the person and their clan, and possibly their bloodlimit. As intriguing as Kisa and this Nakada clan was, he wasn't all too obsessed with the question of who this girl really was. Instead, Sasuke's mind kept going back to their mock-fight. Indeed, it wasn't just any old mock-fight. With most shinobi, there was simply no contest. And there are few cases, like with Naruto, where it becomes more like a contest to see who can outdo the other, since he and few others were at comparable levels. Kisa was different, though. Of course he made his strength clear to her, but though he would never say it, it was a humbling experience for Sasuke also. Not because he was bested in any significant way, but because everything he saw in this fight was unknown and utterly new to him.

Kisa continued to apply her salve while Sasuke kept an even, neutral gaze on her.

Yes, that's what Kisa was in Sasuke's mind right now. A change. Something momentarily new and different in his routine of life he could probably walk through half-asleep. Whether it was a change for the better or worse, it was still a change from what he's been doing now. And he knows that with his life at this moment he's been accomplishing nothing. Comfortable and the same day after day, but Sasuke wasn't living his life for comfort. He had a mission, a mission ingrained in his being that extended time in Konoha threatened to take away.

Kisa was just one example of everything that could possibly wait outside Konoha.

Sasuke was now sure that he had something to gain from Kisa. The real issue was how exactly to gain anything from her.

Kisa had finished applying salve to her injuries and stood, both bottled waters and salve in hand, and proceeded towards Sasuke. Sasuke, waiting to see what this crazy girl was going to say now, was mildly surprised when she said nothing. She simply set the water and the salve beside him, stepping several paces away and sat down, facing him.

It was a good gesture in Sasuke's mind. Not too personal and not outright disrespectful, just set down the stuff and give him his space. He approved, though he had no need for the salve or water.

"…"

"…"

Sasuke was never the talkative type and Kisa didn't really have much to say to him, guessing correctly that he wasn't fond of pointless chatter. So the two settled for a silent staring contest.

Sasuke blamed it on being accustomed to loud Naruto and Sakura, because he found himself wishing that Kisa would say something. And it did look to Sasuke like Kisa wanted to say something.

More likely Kisa was trying to make more out of Sasuke like Sasuke was trying to make more out of Kisa. Good luck with that.

Then it's as if Kisa decided something, because an odd combination of worry and distain crossed her face before she shifted her sitting position slightly away from Sasuke. She sat up straight and closed her eyes, her hands in a tiger seal and her focus obviously inward. She sat like that for a while, leaving Sasuke to guess that she was practicing the molding of chakra, as amateur as it looked to him, though it seemed kind of pointless in Sasuke's opinion, since to him it didn't seem like she had any problems with chakra control or jutsu usage.

As if to emphasize the point, Kisa suddenly spat out flames, her green flames, in small inconsistent amounts, as if testing them, but she seemed to try really hard at it, since her face was tight with concentration.

What was she doing?

Then, like an omen, he remembered back at the start of their fight, when they both unleashed Grand Fireball. He remembered how shocked he was at seeing the unnatural green Katon, but then he remembered something else.

Kisa was just as shocked at seeing his Katon.

A suspicion formed in his mind, one that he was positive was true, but still had to confirm.

"What are you doing?"

Kisa stiffened at his question and she timidly moved her gaze towards him. She didn't answer at first, but then took a breath before facing Sasuke, looking slightly annoyed. "If you must know, I'm analyzing the make-up and structure of my Katon in relation to what I know of the natural Katon."

His eyebrow raised, "Natural Katon?"

"The Katon that you use."

Hmm… "You're not able to use natural Katon, are you?"

Kisa had an annoyed look on her face, which soon became a bit downcast and depressed. Then, with a hint of defiance, her gaze met his neutral gaze, though her eyes seemed to slightly go out of focus before turning hard again. "For reasons I have never been told or able to discern for myself, it's significantly more difficult for members of my clan to learn the common version of Katon, among other things… So in the long run, my clan had to create our own versions of common yet powerful techniques to remain competitive with those who had them, practically everyone else." Her expression turned slightly angrier as if daring Sasuke to laugh at her clan's plight.

Sasuke wasn't inwardly laughing at the Nakada clan like Kisa was thinking. In fact, he had just learned something fascinating about them, something that actually made him feel a bit of respect for the Nakada name. A story seemed to unfold in Sasuke's mind. This Nakada clan is obviously a shinobi clan, but from what Kisa says it seems that the Nakada were handicapped as shinobi in some way that put them at a severe disadvantage against others. One or more handicaps that barred them from certain techniques. But rather than accept or struggle with being inadequate, this clan, with whatever it had, adapted and created their own versions of the techniques they couldn't learn. That's something to be admired. The Nakada clan must have had it's own share of powerful geniuses to accomplish that, but more than that…

"You're a clan of survivors."

Sasuke didn't necessarily mean it to be a compliment or an insult, but those words seemed to sink into Kisa's mind in a negative way and Sasuke saw a radical transformation that surprised him. Her face darkened and grayed, her eyes lost all focus, and her hands shook and twitched, looking more like the mentally disturbed girl Sasuke first thought her to be. Then suddenly it was gone, leaving only a depressed looking Kisa.

Kisa turned her head away, "…You're mistaken, Uchiha-san."

"And why is that?"

"You've said enough. Stop it." Kisa's voice hardened, still looking away.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. No one below him ever gives him orders. "Answer me, Nakada. Why am I mistaken?"

"…" Kisa slowly spoke, "You've made a poor assumption, Uchiha-san. Calling the Nakada a clan of survivors implicates success at survival, something we most certainly did not achieve…"

"…"

"As we speak, there is no Nakada clan. Misplaced my pride must be in a family like mine, but that's what they were, much less and much more all the same, and they're no more. I don't know what I'd say about your clan. You must feel more superior and privileged, being exempt from sharing the same words as I do, Uchiha-san-

A kunai whizzed by Kisa's head, slicing off a single strand of hair, freezing her in place. Calmly, she turned and met Sasuke's cold and hateful glare with her own.

It's as if their fight had continued, only this time, both were dead serious. And this time, they dueled not with fists, weapons, or jutsus. In utter silence, they dueled purely with their emotions. And their scars.

An eternity seemed to pass, only minutes, before Sasuke and Kisa came to an unspoken truce. Neither needed to share. They were tired, and by now, both understood enough to simply drop the issue. They now simply sat in silence.

"…"

"…"

Sasuke shifted slightly. "Hey."

Kisa barely lifted her head. "Hmm?"

"We have another two hours before we go meet up with Naruto and Sakura."

"I'm quite aware."

"Interested in learning Katon, Nakada?"

"…" Kisa turned towards Sasuke, expression unidentifiable.

"Would you be at all interested in Akuma Katon, Uchiha-san?"

-

Roughly two hours later, Sasuke and Kisa were feeling more like themselves, relatively speaking. During those two hours, both Uchiha and Nakada exchanged notes on their Katon. Learning a new jutsu was one thing. Completely relearning a culturally different style of the same jutsu they both knew by heart was another. Like translating two written pages that said the same thing, but in different languages. By now, they were both heading to Team 7's meeting place, feeling thoroughly disappointed in the training they did in the last two hours, but not from lack of progress.

At the end of the two hours of hard training and careful guidance, they both managed a small flame of each other's respective Katon. They stopped at that.

For the sixth time, Uchiha Sasuke tried to rinse his mouth of the horrible, burning, acidic taste from his mouth, all to no avail. Fortunately, he already got used to the tingling numbness of his fingers and lips.

Kisa was better off in Sasuke's opinion. Hunched over in a pout, she gingerly rubbed her burnt lips.

"We're keeping this to ourselves."

"Agreed."

They both walked in thoughtful silence. Only after a long time did one speak.

"I'm glad I met you, Uchiha-san."

Sasuke glanced over. What now?

"Our engagement earlier, and our training, was invigorating… and enjoyable. It gave me good feelings, and I now respect you greatly."

Sasuke agreed somewhat, but said nothing, suspecting where this was going.

"But I want to make it very clear to you that I am under no illusions, Uchiha-san."

Hmm, what's this? Both stopped momentarily.

Kisa's gaze drifted a bit, and when she focused on Sasuke, she had a small sad smile, and she carefully worded what she said.

"Don't misunderstand me, Uchiha-san, I hold no significant animosity towards you. In fact, I would be happy to know you as an ally, and I would appreciate being able to fight beside you without fear. I somehow suspect that you feel the same. But, despite whatever we may share, I am perfectly aware that you and I are not friends, Uchiha-san. Casual, intimate, or otherwise." Kisa stood a moment longer, then turned and continued walking.

Sasuke's gaze followed Kisa's thin form as she walked away. He held no expression on his face, and a moment later, followed Kisa down the path.

Inside, Sasuke was pleased.

Finally, someone gets it.

* * *


	12. Obsessive Questions

Author's Notes: Sorry that you guys had to wait so long for this chapter, but now I'm back. Sorry if this chapter seems a bit sloppy. Expect the plotline to be jumping sometime soon.

* * *

- 

"Ne ne, Sakura-chan, you know where Sasuke is?"

"No, Naruto, I don't. I was just about to ask you the same thing."

Both Naruto and Sakura were at the bridge, just shortly before today's appointed meeting time, 4:00. Of course, Kakashi never comes at the appointed time, but that's another issue that doesn't need covering. It was just like any other team meeting.

But today wasn't exactly like other team meetings, because Sasuke hasn't appeared yet. He was later than usual, and even Naruto came before he did.

Of course it would cause Naruto and Sakura to worry. Though they would never voice it, if Kakashi hadn't told them that he just got back from seeing Sasuke, they would have suspected that Sasuke ran off again.

Sasuke's betrayal is taboo for Team 7. Somehow, they never talk about it.

Lately, each day just seemed like the good old days, but that clearly wasn't true. Sasuke had changed, of course, but neither Naruto nor Sakura were sure exactly how he had changed. He still seemed his usual brooding self, albeit without so much visible anger and intolerance. He seemed to have calmed down quite a bit, actually. But more often than not, one of them would spy Sasuke's gaze going beyond the walls of Konoha, the sight of which would make them anxious.

Another reason why Naruto and Sakura were feeling worried is because Kakashi also told them that Kisa would be meeting up with them here at this spot. He didn't clarify how she would find her way here, only that she would, to the annoyance of both ninjas. Naruto was looking forward to seeing Kisa again, and so was Sakura, but she also felt the need to mildly admonish the girl for running off so many times and making her worry.

To Sakura, it almost seemed as if Kisa's mind was going unstable again, despite all they've been doing for her, but that couldn't possibly be it. Still, the thought frightened her, so she took steps and precautions. She hadn't told Tsunade yet, but in light of her worries, Sakura had decided to study psychology in the hopes that Sakura would be able to find a way to help Kisa's mental state. Despite being an unwise move, Sakura skipped some of the basics and went right into study of mental disorders, but she had yet to determine any cause of her instability, and she couldn't pinpoint any specific stimuli that would set her off.

Of course she wasn't an expert. She only knew enough to know that Kisa's mind was still beyond her understanding.

Sakura shook her head. She shouldn't think purely in those terms. True, Kisa was once her patient, but now she was her friend, something that Kisa seemed to lack back in whatever life she came from. If she really wanted to see her get healthier and happier, she should continue to treat her as a friend and not a case study.

Naruto suddenly shifted towards the road and squinted, his hand blocking out light from his eyes. He reared back, "What! Sakura-chan, look!"

Sakura did, and somehow ended up just as surprised as Naruto was. Two people were walking their way, which wasn't surprising itself, but it was who those people were that surprised them.

Sasuke and Kisa were arriving _together_, and they were _talking_?

That shouldn't appear so strange to anyone. In fact, there was nothing strange about it at all. But, to Naruto and Sakura, it did.

A younger Sakura would have felt extremely jealous. Now, Sakura just felt confused. Reason would argue that this was a good thing, but reason would be just as confused as Sakura was. It was good to see Kisa interacting with more people, and this could be a sign that Sasuke was becoming slightly kinder and more social-oriented.

She couldn't help but feel that was utter bosh. Even though he was still their friend, and even after being back, Sasuke was still quite the unpleasant anti-social and anti-romantic. He was still a part of the team, but given a choice he would have spent most of his time by himself. She couldn't imagine any way in which Kisa would willingly keep company with someone so unpleasant who still shuns half the human race on his good days.

If nothing else, Sakura couldn't imagine Kisa hanging out with someone so innately mean.

However, closer observation lent more to the image than what Sakura initially saw. Whatever they were talking about, it wasn't about anything fun. The expression on his face seemed to imply that Sasuke wasn't too pleased to be walking with Kisa. It was a toned-down version of the look Sasuke would have given Sakura back in the day when she constantly flung herself at him.

What was surprising and very perplexing was that Kisa had an identical expression on her face in response to Sasuke.

Sakura wasn't quite sure how to interpret that. She never imagined seeing such a sour expression on someone like Kisa.

Then, almost abruptly, the two just began to shun each other, their expressions neutral.

What was going on?

Once they got near enough, Kisa noticed Naruto and Sakura and her face turned brighter and more cheerful. She ran towards them in greeting.

"Hi, Sakura! Hi, Naruto-san!"

"Ne ne, don't keep calling me Naruto-san. Just Naruto is fine, Kisa-chan."

Sasuke turned to Kisa, slightly alarmed. He raised an eyebrow towards Sakura and mouthed, 'Naruto-san?' Sakura understood. It really did sound strange.

"Umm, I'm really sorry I ran off like that…"

Sakura turned back to Kisa, who looked slightly shrunk. She noticed that Kisa had a few cuts and bruises. "Did you get hurt, Kisa?" Sakura was getting very paranoid thoughts that maybe Kisa got lost and someone tried to mug her.

It must have shown on her face, because Kisa strongly shook her head. "No, no, nothing like that…"

"Your lips are burnt, too, Kisa-chan."

Kisa looked back and forth between Sakura and Naruto, looking nervous and unsure of what to say. Sasuke spoke up, almost nonchalantly.

"Kisa was with me. We were training."

Naruto and Sakura went wide-eyed at Sasuke's response. Kisa's more confident nod confirmed it.

Not only was Kisa with Sasuke this whole time, but they were also… _training_ together? That seemed very unlike and especially out of character for Sasuke in their minds. Crazy ideas began forming in Sakura's head, but Naruto chose to voice a few of his own thoughts in a suspicious tone of voice.

"Ne, Sasuke, you weren't secretly doing anything sick and perverted with Kisa, were-OWW!" SPLASH!

Sasuke, with a boost of his speed and strength, smacked the back of Naruto's head and sent him over the bridge into the water.

Sakura was slowly backing away. Sasuke was angrily twitching. Naruto was pissed.

"YOU!" Naruto shouted, stomping furiously on top of the water, pointing fiercely at Sasuke. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR YOU BASTARD!"

Sasuke crossed his arms. "That was for being a total moron, you dobe."

"I DARE YOU TO SAY THAT AGAIN!"

"I'll do more than that. That was for being a _complete_ and total moron, you dobe."

"DAMMIT, SASUKE, I'M GONNA POUND YOU INTO THE GROUND!"

"That's what you always say."

"Uh, guys…? Please, not in front of Kisa..."

All eyes turned to Kisa, who half looked like she wanted to burst into hysterical laugher and half looked like she was terrified for her life. It didn't make for a very healthy looking expression.

Naruto began to look apologetic and scratched the back of his head. Sasuke looked like he didn't care. Sakura tried to soothe her a bit. "Don't be afraid, Kisa, no one here's going to hurt you…"

"…Is this a normal occurrence for Team 7…?"

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke all shared a look. Naruto sheepishly spoke, "Hehe… yeah, we do this all the time, Kisa-chan. Sorry about that."

"We've kinda been working on it," Sakura assured Kisa, though she knew it wasn't true. Sasuke rolled his eyes at that statement. Team 7 has hardly changed at all.

Kisa didn't ask further questions on the subject matter. Instead, she looked around for Team 7's instructor, Kakashi. "Where's Kakashi-sensei?"

An angry, weary gloom fell over all three members of Team 7.

-

An hour and a half later, Kisa understood.

Sakura had to admit, though, Kisa was being rather polite about it. Though she remained silent, and with considerably less energy about her.

Naruto was pacing back and forth impatiently, muttering things about Kakashi-sensei and probably thinking about what ramen he'd be having after their meeting. Sasuke was leaning back against the rail, eyes closed, arms crossed, and completely silent, seemingly deep in thought. Lately, he always seemed to be in deep thought.

As for Kisa…

Sakura got another look at Kisa's back, getting more curious and disturbed by the minute. Kisa was, in her opinion, acting strangely, which was characteristic of her but shouldn't be the case. She sitting on the bridge, and for the past fifteen minutes or so was quietly and unobtrusively collecting all the nearby twigs, leaves, dirt, and even garbage together into one pile. Once that was done, Kisa began arranging the bits into seemingly random patterns. There was absolutely nothing threatening about the odd behavior, and yet…

Lately, Sakura carried a pen and notepad around with her, and that's what she had out now. Casually, Sakura scribbled down notes on Kisa's behavior. Once she got back home, she could do a bit of study in her psychology books.

Sakura stiffened. She felt intent eyes on her, but they weren't from Kisa, who was still absorbed in her patterns. They were from Sasuke. Sakura was starting to feel scared, until she understood the connotation to his glare. Condescending, of course, but there wasn't any malice, hatred, or even annoyance in those eyes. There was merely disapproval, and an unspoken command.

Sasuke knew Sakura was taking notes on Kisa. He didn't approve of it at all, and he wanted her to stop at once. Then Sakura put her notepad away, surprised at how Sasuke was being so… defensive of Kisa.

The very thought threatened to drive Sakura insane. There just had to be something between them, but it looked obvious that the two weren't especially fond of each other. But look at them when they were walking! Maybe they kept it a secret? What would they want to keep a secret? They weren't really interested in each other like that, were they? Were they good to each other? Did they secretly treat each other out? How'd they get together in the first place? Why would they get together when they seem so mismatched? Where's the connection?

What the hell would Kisa's childlike and abstract intellect see in Sasuke's dark and obsessive musings that's so pleasing? Was it the free-flowing white hair, the startling green eyes, the ivory skin, or did Sasuke just have a secret fetish for frail and borderline insane girls?

Sakura mentally slapped herself, over and over and over. God, she's such a horrible person. What the hell was she thinking! She's over her crush on Sasuke, she knew that she moved on, and was able to make a friendship with him, as it should be. Kisa is her friend, now almost a sister, and Kisa trusts Sakura completely. How can Sakura betray her trust and confidence in her like that? Thinking like this about them was terribly wrong. Her younger self was like this, but now she knew better. Logically, there probably wasn't anything between them, and if there was, what's so bad about it?

Sasuke is back, and Kisa is safe. All is right with the world.

She finally killed her obsessive thoughts, but the curiosity remained.

…

And what the hell was Kisa making!

Meanwhile, Sasuke had one eye on Sakura and one eye on Kisa all the while, while Kisa kept making her patterns with the minor debris.

"Ne, Kisa-chan, whatcha making?"

Kisa jumped, startled, and ran her hands over her patterns in a panic, erasing them.

Naruto, now right beside Kisa, paused in his approach. "Oh, sorry Kisa-chan, I didn't mean to scare you so much."

"I-It's quite alright, Naruto-san. Forgive me, for it was merely my own error to be so frightened…" Kisa's eyes were starting to have that far-away look again before they refocused.

Naruto scratched his chin, confused. He didn't scold Kisa for using big words, because Kisa did seem really bothered by something. "Well, okay…" Naruto perked up, having an idea, "but you never have to be afraid of me, Kisa-chan! Cause remember," Naruto struck a confident pose and gave Kisa the v, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage of Konoha, and I'll make the village safe and strong so that no one will ever have to be afraid of anything! How 'bout that, huh?"

Kisa giggled happily at the display, and even Sakura had to chuckle a bit at Naruto's antics. Sasuke had what looked like the beginnings of a small smile.

POOF! "Yo."

Naruto and Sakura spun about and pointed. "YOU'RE LATE!"

"I just got back from helping the other jounin in a team effort to stop and restrain a giant angry lizard woman from going on the rampage in downtown Konoha—"

"THAT WAS THE WORST LIE YET!" Naruto and Sakura were pulling their hair in exasperation. Sasuke, also slightly exasperated, had to agree.

Kakashi had expected this reaction. He also half-expected the other reaction he got.

"Is something wrong, Kisa?" Kakashi inquired knowingly. "You don't look so well."

"…"

-

-

-

* * *

Author's Notes: Remember in the previous chapter when it was stated that the signal hawk for jounin was seen three times in two days? Yeah… that was all her. 

Next chapter will reveal the relationship between Kisa and Tanya, as well as shed more light on their past.


	13. Bittersweet Reunion

Author's Notes: What I would normally have divided into two or three chapters I'm instead going to present as one whole chapter, making this one the largest chapter yet, with many interactions, mood swings, twists and revelations jam-packed in for your pleasure. I got the distinct feel that you guys were getting restless and impatient at the pace of events, so I've come to satisfy you.

Back when I preplanned and ultimately started this fic I honestly had no idea that Kisa would become as popular as she did. I'm in awe. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed thus far. It does wonders for my morale. Please keep them coming, and I am willing to answer any specific questions you have.

Also, to very attentive readers, if you notice any major discontinuities in my story that really annoy you, feel free to bring it up in your reviews, because I have the suspicion that I'm leaving a lot of them.

* * *

- 

-

"Dammit, please sit still, for the last time, we're not-GAGH!"

"Headshot! Whoohoo!"

"Great Hokage, _it burns_!" Shizune rushed to aid the jounin who got hit in the face with the largest, and mildly acidic, glob of phlegm she had ever seen. Some ways behind her stood Tsunade, who has about had it up to her neck of Tanya.

She had heard the reports and rumors, but when she arrived yesterday to see for herself, she really had no idea. She was utterly stunned.

At first she thought she was looking at one of Orochimaru's experiments. Further study discredited that. There was absolutely _no way_ Orochimaru could have managed to transform a human into something so… dare she say it… naturally perfect.

Tanya's reptilian physiology was both fascinating and frightening. Once she was brought in, where she was clothed and given time to recover, medic-nins had a chance to do a minor check-up before Tanya escaped for the first time. A large percentage of her mass was lean muscle, and her respiration, heart rate, and immune system were far above even most shinobi, let alone humans. Her claws and talons made good-enough natural weaponry, and her reptilian skin was tough enough to pass for leather. The sheer amount of above-human stamina present in her made Tanya's chakra store massive, with even more room to grow. Finally, Tanya was big. At seven feet, and with her solid muscles, she had to be at least 280 lbs, with a figure that made even Tsunade envious.

Tanya would make one hell of a ninja, but pity the Kage who has her as one of theirs. Both Tsunade and Jiraiya could get as drunk as they can possibly get, but their combined behavior would _still_ pale in comparison to the sheer vulgarity and sarcasm present in Tanya. This was made evident the day Tsunade met Tanya.

The first words out of Tanya's mouth upon seeing a startled Tsunade, "Hey, Granny-nin. You the Head-Bitch?"

Tsunade turned furious and bloodthirsty very fast at those words. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST CALL ME?" The nerve of her! Tsunade forced herself to calm, but the other ninjas who had dealt with Tanya looked on with sympathy. However, it wouldn't do to pound someone in who was completely restrained. "Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

Tanya rolled her eyes. "You're something called a Hokage, supposedly the leader and strongest ninja around here. I stopped paying attention to the lecture after that. Beyond that, I don't give a fuck." Tsunade bristled, and Tanya formed a sly grin. "Nice genjutsu, by the way, but you can't fool me." She leaned forward as far as the restraints would allow. "My nose can smell your age…." Tanya snickered as Tsunade looked like she wanted to strangle her, but Tanya knew she wouldn't. She stormed out to let off some steam.

From then on, Tsunade decided that she didn't like Tanya one bit. It wasn't just her who suffered, though. Tanya was giving a hard time to every nurse and ninja who came within five feet of her. Poor Hinata, when she went into Tanya's room, she fled in shame and panic shortly afterwards, leaving Tanya to laugh heartily. One Anbu later got hit with foul projectile vomit. One time, Tanya even swung her ebony ponytail with admirable force and struck a complacent chuunin in the balls.

And if that wasn't bad enough, Tanya managed to escape _three_ times from confinement, and she had to be retrieved three times. She wasn't subtle about it, either, so naturally, many shinobi were able to intercept. It was very fortunate that Tanya refrained from using lethal force, but that didn't stop her from sending most of the available chuunin and jounin to the hospital for recovery and painkillers. The third time she escaped, only the elite jounin were sent, and that worked a lot better. And the third time was when they stopped trying to be polite, and so this time they had her contained in a heavily fortified interrogation room strapped to a pinned-down and fortified criminal chair. All this was necessary because the sleeping and interrogation drugs had practically no effect on her physique. Each time, it had to be Kakashi who forced her into even only a half-sleep.

It was also around this time when some exasperated jounin got the idea that if Tanya wanted to leave so badly, then they should just let her leave and be rid of her. But Tsunade didn't give the order for that, and she still had questions for the lizard woman that she never got to ask.

And questioning is exactly what Tsunade was going to do right now. Everyone left except Tsunade and two Anbu. Tsunade stood before the seated Tanya, steeling herself for any insults that might be thrown her way. But Tanya for the most part looked bored.

Tsunade spoke before Tanya could. "Listen, Tanya. It's clear that you have no respect for anyone here, and frankly, I have no respect for you, either. So we're going to be quick and simple about this. I'm going to ask you questions, mostly simple yes-or-no questions that you will answer honestly, and the faster we get through them, the faster we'll be out of each other's hair, and the sooner you can leave my village for good. Deal?"

Tanya glared at Tsunade, contemplating. "Whatever. Deal."

Tsunade gave a slight sigh. Got that out of the way, now for the questions. Gotta keep them simple. Tsunade felt compelled to ask this first one, even if it wasn't necessary. "Do you know Orochimaru?"

"…Oro-who?"

That was a no. Next one.

"Are you from a hidden village?"

"Pfft, no."

Hmm, odd.

"Why did you steal livestock?"

"…I was hungry…?"

Tsunade blinked. "Couldn't you have stolen other food? Raw meat can't be all that appetizing."

Tanya gave her a condescending look. "First, in case you couldn't figure it out, raw meat is about all I can stomach. Second, I have to eat a lot, and I don't have a choice. Third, I should let you know that your men have been starving me."

Tsunade was taken aback. "No one's been feeding you?"

Tanya snorted. "Oh, they've been meeting my needs _real_ well. Fried rice, fresh cut fruit and veggies, and a whole slice of pie all to myself." She spat. "Best thing I got all day was the pieces of bacon that came with a salad. I think I'm giving your ninjas the impression that I'm trying to kill myself through starvation, judging from the one who force-fed me and got hit with my vomit."

"…Oh…" Tanya's account made Tsunade and the present Anbu feel very guilty and very stupid. She wanted to slap herself, duh! It somehow never occurred to anyone that Tanya would require special needs, especially where food was involved. Didn't everything about Tanya's appearance scream carnivore? It seems Tanya had every right to be bitchy. Tsunade turned to the Anbu. "Do you think one of you could…?" An Anbu nodded and poofed. Tsunade turned back to Tanya, looking apologetic and considerably less angry with Tanya. "Please forgive us for attending to your unique needs so poorly, Tanya. Our intention was not to torture you."

Tanya eyed her chair and smirked. "What do you call this?"

Tsunade twitched. "That's not torture, and you brought this unto yourself."

Poof! The Anbu returned with ham on the bone. "Will this suffice?"

A few minutes later, Tanya was seemingly satisfied. She was allowed to have her arms free to eat with on the condition that she stay put for the questioning and not harm anyone in the room. Tanya was fine with that, as long as she got to eat. Tsunade and the Anbu backed away a bit to give her space as she ravenously ate, the act of which brought her carnivorous teeth to light.

"Are you fine with that, even if it's technically cooked?"

Tanya nodded while eating. She spoke through a full mouth. "It's pushing it, but it passes. Plus I'm a fan of salt." She gulped, the huge chunk of meat visibly moving down her throat.

Tsunade didn't comment, but instead continued asking questions, guessing that Tanya would be more cooperative now. "Were you born like this?"

That gave Tanya pause. Something seemed to flicker across her eyes as she set down the bone. "No, I wasn't. Moving on to the next question," she growled.

So she was once a normal person? Tsunade took the hint. Apparently, it was a sensitive topic with Tanya, one that was not to be discussed.

"Why were Sound-nins after you?"

Tanya shrugged calmly. "I guess the pansy ninjas wanted to capture me for god knows what back to whatever hole they crawled out of." She grinned malevolently, reminding Tsunade too much of Orochimaru. "I've been very popular lately. Ninja's have been coming for me left and right every week. Someone out there must think I'm the next biggest thing. Then again, I'm guessing it's not everyday someone meets a lizard chick who can kick their ass ten times over." She flicked her forked tongue out.

Interesting. So Tanya has been under a lot of pressure from other shinobi. That could possibly explain her animosity towards them, but Tsunade sensed there was more to it than that.

However, these questions that Tsunade asked really didn't especially matter to her right now. There was only one thing that Tsunade wanted to get to the bottom of concerning Tanya, and only one thing that she really cared for right now.

'Kisa…' thought Tsunade. 'Does this woman have anything to do with-

The door to the interrogation room opened, revealing a stern-faced Kakashi.

Tsunade turned, slightly annoyed. "I'm in the middle of something. Unless we're being invaded, it can wait."

Kakashi cleared his throat. "Hokage, there's someone who wants to see our current guest," he replied, indicating to Tanya.

Tsunade gave him a perplexed look. Who in Konoha would-

Her eyes widened in realization. Kakashi nodded.

"Bring her in. Now."

Kakashi left, and Tsunade stole a glance towards Tanya, who looked mildly confused and had an unspoken threat in her eyes when she looked at Tsunade. Rather than say anything, however, Tsunade waited impatiently.

A moment later Kakashi returned, stepping aside to let in the one possible connection to Tanya and a possible explanation for what has been going on.

The moment Kisa came into view it was painfully obvious to all viewers that she and Tanya knew each other.

Tanya had stiffened as if death took her, red eyes as wide as they would go and a haunted expression of disbelief on her face. Kisa's expression was similar, more favoring utter shock.

Excitement grew in Tsunade upon learning there was a connection. However, she also began to worry if this reunion might be too much for either Kisa or Tanya.

Kisa took shaking, uneven steps towards where Tanya sat, whereas Tanya sat frozen like a statue at the sight of Kisa. The two Anbu took nearby positions when Kisa came close enough where the two mysterious visitors could almost touch. Kisa slowly raised a trembling hand as if to touch Tanya.

It was then that Tanya snapped out of her frozen state, and with renewed shrieking animalistic fever, tried to tear herself out of her restraints with her free arms, pulling, ripping and clawing at them with a manic look in her eyes. Kisa jumped back terrified, Tsunade likewise, as the two Anbu moved in to restrain her further, but Tanya only struck out at both of them like lightning without even looking, sending both Anbu headfirst into the stone walls, knocking them out. Tanya met with no success on her restraints, but continued to tear and claw at herself in blind fury.

Tsunade took a further step back, actually feeling deathly afraid of the sight. Whatever reaction Tsunade hoped or expected to get out of Tanya, this was far from it. Kisa looked just as frightening, but even so, she took a few tentative steps forward, and Tsunade wanted badly to pull her back.

Without warning, Tanya stopped and panted heavily, and her head shot up to meet Kisa's eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Kisa!" Tanya practically shrieked, her eyes still disbelieving.

Kisa seemed at a loss of words, and Tsunade could see the confusion and turmoil on Kisa's face. "I… I…"

"Did fucking Head-Bitchcapture you, too? Did anyone hurt you? If they did, so god help me…"

Kisa looked helplessly between Tanya and Tsunade, not knowing what to say. Tanya, now calming a little, sensed the familiarity between the two, and took it in the worst way possible. Her face scrunched into a snarl.

"Actually, scratch that. You sure look fucking comfortable here. What, did they feed you a nice bull-shit story to keep you ignorant and happy?"

Kisa eyes shot back to Tanya in shock, not believing what she was hearing.

Tanya's face darkened. "Actually, I'll bet that it was you who pointed and sent all those ninjas at me in the first place!"

Kisa finally forced words out of her mouth. "How can you say that, Tanya! I didn't even know you were nearby!"

Tanya sneered. "Bullshit, I think you knew exactly where I was!" Tanya straightened, eyes cold and all humor gone, and spoke in a clear, condemning voice, "I knew your clan, you know, and your sick, god-forsaken bloodlimit." Kisa paled, looking horrified. "I always looked at you as the most humane and normal Nakada I ever knew, but every now and then you did pull some crazy shit!"

At that moment, Tsunade would have cut off an arm and quit drinking if that were what it took to take away the helpless pain she saw on Kisa's face. She couldn't believe how Tanya, who was so sarcastic and rude, yet mirthful and carefree, could suddenly turn so ruthless and savagely beat down Kisa's spirit like she was doing right now.

But before she knew what she was doing, Tsunade sent a full strength punch across Tanya's face, bending her head and neck in the direction of the punch. "Who the hell do you think you are, you freak-

Tsunade suddenly felt a hard and scaly hand clasped onto her throat, choking her, threatening to crush her windpipe. Instinctively grabbing her back, Tsunade's shocked and furious eyes registered the cold, killing intent in Tanya's eyes before her vision began turning white around the edges.

"STOP IT!"

They did, and both turned to Kisa, her cheeks and shirt wet with her tears.

"Please… I beg you… stop…"

Tsunade stepped away, coughing and rubbing her throat. Tanya's arms fell limp, her head bowed so that a shadow covered her eyes.

"Tsunade-sama…" Tears still fell from her green eyes.

"Yes, Kisa?"

"I… (sniff)… I need to talk to Tanya…"

Tsunade glared at Tanya. "I'm not leaving you alone with this-

"Please, Tsunade-sama. I really need to talk to her…"

"…" Tsunade didn't know what to say.

"You heard the girl. Scram. Get your ass out of here," Tanya barked, but not with as much energy.

Tsunade was offended, but after a moment of thought, decided to comply with Kisa's wishes. Silently, she picked up the two unconscious Anbu and left the room, and with one final sorrowful glance back at Kisa, closed the door behind her, leaving Kisa and Tanya alone.

-

Kisa still cried. The silence was painful, unbearable. Tanya wasn't saying anything to her. She wasn't even looking at her.

"I… I thought we were friends… Tanya…"

Just how long has it been?

-

_At six years of age, Nakada Kisa was a very smart, but very shy and inverted child. While she had a natural shyness, most of it came from the other shinobi and clans around her, most of who were reviled and fearful of Kisa for her startling green eyes that marked her as a member of the Nakada clan. Those that didn't avoid her like the plague looked on her with sad pity in their eyes. She didn't understand why. Mama wouldn't say, and Mama was one of the only Nakada she got to see and talk to and be with up close. She didn't know what was so bad about the Nakada, but she knew for a fact that that was the reason why she was treated as such. She was lonely because of it._

_Right now Kisa was sitting underneath a tree by the forest. Today she was free from her clan's training and the Doctor's lessons, and was told that she should take the time to relax and have fun. But how could Kisa have fun when she had no friends to play with. Instead, she took out the weird and scary drawings from her knapsack and looked hard at them again. It was part of her Nakada training, only practice before she was given other exercises that will lead her to master her family's bloodlimit, whatever it was. She was never told what it was, instead being given training that she didn't understand. She saw some of the training other children got, and those made sense to her. It included taijutsu, chakra exercises, endurance training, and even very basic shinobi skills and techniques. Kisa was taught few of those. She knew how to apply chakra to her feet to move up and through the trees. She was able to walk on water and make great leaps. She even worked on her stamina, though she was told that wasn't necessary right now. Those made sense to Kisa, but not her clan's training, which she only so far saw a hint of, like the dream journal, the chants, the sign reading, and even painting. One practice for all young Nakada (she was the only young Nakada right now) was the scary drawings._

_She was supposed to look at the drawings and try to see something in them, but Kisa couldn't see anything. It was a big mess and made no sense to her. How was she supposed to see anything in it when it was nothing but a mess of random shapes and colors?_

_She was told that eventually she would. Who was she to argue against those that knew better than her?_

_Kisa groaned in frustration and put her drawings away. She rubbed her eyes, because looking at them for too long always made her eyes hurt._

_She didn't even have any taijutsu to practice._

_Suddenly, she caught movement in her eye, and looked up to see five other children land near her._

_Kisa jumped and held her breath, not knowing what to expect. It's not like she wasn't allowed to be near other children. It's just that she rarely was, and some of the grown-ups kept their children away from her._

_The leader of the gang, a redhead with pale blue eyes, waved at her. "Hi. I'm Suho. What's your name?"_

_Kisa couldn't believe that she was finally talking with other kids, and was apprehensive for it. "Um… Kisa."_

_"Kisa, huh? That's a nice name. Hey, you wanna come play with us?"_

_Kisa wanted very much to play with them, but was still nervous. "Uh… I don't know… is it okay?"_

_"Come on, Kisa," a girl with black pigtails exclaimed. "This is the only time the Doctor is going to let us play allll week!" She waved her arms to emphasize the point._

_"But wait, she's a Nakada. We can't play with a Nakada," said a brown haired boy with violet eyes. Kisa felt sad when he said that._

_"My mama told me that the Nakada are very scary," a girl with blue hair and blue tinged skin said knowingly. Kisa felt even sadder._

_"Oh come on," exclaimed a boy with a rounded hat and glasses. "She doesn't look scary at all."_

_"Mhm, she's not scary. She cute," said the redhead leader. Kisa blushed and smiled._

_"Well… okay, she can play with us."_

_"Yeah, she can play with us."_

_"Great. Come with us, Kisa." Suho held out a hand for Kisa._

_Kisa felt very happy, taking his hand and standing up. Maybe she finally had some friends. There was Suho the redhead leader with the pale blue eyes, Kimi had the black pigtails, Rain had the violet eyes, Uni was the blue girl, and Sai had the hat._

_"Come on, let's go this way!" And the group ran over the hills._

_"Suho, where are we going," asked Kisa. The running was exhilarating for her._

_"We're gonna go see the Dinosaur Lady!"_

_"Huh?" Kisa saw a dinosaur book once, but what was a dinosaur lady?_

_"You'll see. Come on!" The group picked up the pace until they came to a lake surrounded by trees._

_The group came to a stop within sight of the lake's shore, and there they saw the so-called dinosaur lady. Kisa gasped at the sight._

_"She's beautiful!"_

_"Really? You think so? Her name is Tanya, but we call her the Dinosaur Lady."_

_To Kisa, Tanya did look like a cross between a woman and a dinosaur, claws, scales and all, but she saw the woman part more clearly. She was as big as a grown-up, but she looked like she was in her late teens. She laid on her back on the shore, legs crossed and arms behind her head, as if sunbathing. Her eyes were closed, her mouth was in a perpetual grin, and her ebony hair was tied up in a short ponytail._

_"Is she from a clan?"_

_"Mmm, I don't know. I never saw anyone else who looked like a dinosaur."_

_In the distance, Tanya lazily raised an arm and waved. They heard her loud voice from where they were. "Yo! I can hear you brats from all the way over here. You either get your asses over here or let me sleep, got it?"_

_Kisa cringed slightly at the course language, but the rest of her new friends didn't seem to mind at all. They all ran to greet her, and Kisa followed, though she hung back a bit._

_By the time they got to Tanya, she was sitting more or less upright, and Kisa got to see her large red reptilian eyes. She seemed filled with energy, but Kisa thought she looked a little old in the eyes._

_"What, you kids have the day off or something? Fine time to come bother me." Kisa's friends laughed and Tanya grinned, obviously not angry with the kids in any way. "And I can tell right away that someone forgot to take their bath. I'm looking at you, Four-eyes."_

_They laughed as Sai dropped his head in guilt, but then he laughed, too. They all acted so comfortably around each other._

_Then Tanya's eyes drifted towards Kisa and took her in their gaze. Kisa began to feel a little uncomfortable, especially when Tanya's grin became a slight frown._

_Suho spoke on Kisa's behalf. "That's Kisa. She's going to play with us today."_

_Tanya didn't respond, but instead continued to look Kisa over, analyzing her. Kisa got the distinct feeling that she wasn't welcome. Her new friends looked between the two of them with mild uncertainty._

_"Kisa, is it?"_

_I nodded._

_"You a Nakada?"_

_I hesitated, but nodded._

_Tanya nodded, but more to herself. "Hmm. I see." She turned to the rest. "So you brought her over to play, is that it?"_

_They nodded. "Well," Tanya replied, standing up, "You know what this means, don't you?"_

_Kisa looked up and gulped. The Dinosaur Lady looked as big as her namesake._

_Tanya looked down on Kisa with a slightly malicious look. "It means I gotta initiate her, hehe."_

_Suho never said anything about initiation!_

_Kisa saw a claw come her way and closed her eyes in terror, whimpering slightly. However, no attack came, and she slowly opened her eyes to see a clawed finger poised under her face._

_Tanya mildly flicked Kisa's nose, making her yelp and fall back. She looked up in puzzlement to see a smiling Tanya._

_"Tag!"_

_With a great feat of strength, Tanya turned and leapt a good length of the lake away from Kisa, landing on her feet with an audible thump._

_Kisa stared at Tanya incredulously. Tanya just smirked and scratched her head. She yelled, "Oh come on, don't tell me you don't know how to play Tag!"_

_Kisa did know how to play Tag. With unexpected happiness, Kisa leapt up and bounded after Tanya like a shinobi. She used her training to be extra fast and to impress everybody. Her new friends cheered for her, and then joined in the chase themselves._

_And so it went. Tanya bounded away, sometimes backwards so that she could tease the kids, which would only lead to Kisa catching up. It was simple, silly, but for the children it was the focus of the day when they played and had fun. A day when they were happy…_

_-_

How long ago was that? Eight years? Nine? To Kisa, it felt like so many years ago, and so much had changed since then.

Kisa grew up with her cluster of friends and Tanya, thinking like anyone else that it would last forever.

But Kisa had more Nakada training that took time away, even as she tried to explain to her friends what it all meant, even if she didn't understand herself.

Then at around the age of eleven or twelve, a time when kids would start growing up and get serious, Kisa was struck with the Fever. She became a true Nakada, easily developing her bloodlimit from that point on.

She hated it. Other Nakadas insisted that the ache would fade, but for Kisa it only grew. She wanted to remain young, happy, and with friends. But it couldn't happen. She changed, and it was obvious.

She drifted away from most of her friends. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, but Kisa was painfully aware of the separation, and she cried bitter tears at night because of it.

In the end, she kept only two of her original friends. Suho remained ever kind to her, seemingly understanding her condition, what she was going through, and not condemning her for it, but remaining a true friend to her. He would go on as if Kisa had never changed, and for that Kisa was eternally grateful.

And Tanya? Tanya had become very taken with Kisa, despite the initial hesitation. Over time, they became very close. Despite her brash nature and horrid tongue, Tanya instilled feelings of warmth and family in Kisa, feelings that she never had with her family. What's even better, through Tanya, Kisa made new friends, friends that grew to care for her like Tanya did, and whom Kisa would come to love as much as she did Tanya, like family.

When Kisa was hit with the Fever, Tanya didn't feel sickened or push her away. On the contrary, by then, Tanya stubbornly refused to let Kisa leave, even when it would become too much for Kisa and she would want nothing else but to be away from everybody. Like family, Tanya became even more protective of Kisa, never hesitating in defending her with her words or fists. But while Tanya would care more for Kisa, Tanya would grow to hate, loathe, and despise Kisa's family, the Nakada clan. She blamed all of Kisa's suffering on her clan and the clan's upbringing. Oh, how she hated the Nakada name. At every opportunity she would always tell Kisa that she was far better than her family deserved.

But as much as the Fever inflicted suffering on her, it also instilled, almost forced, a sense of clan unity, even loyalty, into Kisa. A part of her agreed with Tanya's anger, but she could never condemn her clan like she does. After all, it wasn't just her, but her entire clan that suffered.

Then the Sundering came.

Their entire community of shinobi, who grew under the watchful eyes and guidance of the Doctor for several generations, was destroyed. Figuratively and literally. Almost everyone died in the calamity, and those that survived were forced to flee into unknown lands, lands that they never got to learn about in time.

Kisa hadn't seen anyone else since the Sundering.

And now, when Kisa had finally seen Tanya again, here in Konoha, she couldn't believe it. She was in shock, but joy had threatened to overtake Kisa, because here was an old and loved friend whom she knew from an age past.

Until it became painfully clear to Kisa that Tanya had changed a great deal since the Sundering.

Kisa always knew in her being that Tanya, secretly, was a sad and bitter person, for reasons that she never knew, nor dared to pry. But she still managed to keep a smirk or a grin when she was around familiar company. She was always playful, always energetic, and always bright to a degree.

Now Kisa beheld what Tanya was now.

Tanya had definitely grown older, in appearance and demeanor, but there was more to it than that. What was once buried bitterness had turned into full-blown hatred of the world. Playfulness had turned into sadism. Bountiful energy had turned inward, ready to spring at all threats, real or otherwise. Her perpetual grin had been converted to a natural snarl. What humor and mirth was left in her reveled more in bringing pain in others than pleasure. Eyes that once showed a caring light now held an entirely different sort of glimmer, the keen and sharp eyes of a predator. Soft hands with filed, blunted claws had turned harder, sharper, more worn, and Kisa saw them stained with the phantom blood of the slain.

Ironically, Tanya had become everything that the Doctor wanted her to be.

To Kisa, she looked very, very scary.

And now she hated her…

Tanya hated her…

Why did Tanya hate her…?

"Sorry…"

Kisa looked back a Tanya, startled at the subtle way Tanya trembled. Her razor teeth were clenched and her eyes were shut tight, as if ruthlessly forcing back tears.

"I'm… really, really sorry, kid… goddamn it, I'm so sorry…"

Kisa had never, ever, heard Tanya apologize for anything.

Tanya dug a clawed hand into her face. "Shit… how long has it been…? I… how the fuck could I have said those things… I'm such a bitch…" Tanya dug her claws downwards, leaving light gashes and peeling off scales.

Kisa stared at Tanya, still uncertain. "…You don't hate me?"

Tanya froze, her visible eye staring incredulously at Kisa, which then softened and lowered in realization. She gave a deep sigh, and then slowly shook her head.

"…You didn't mean any of what you said?"

Tanya was silent, but gave a tiny smirk. "Not a single word, kid." She looked Kisa right in the eye, red to green. "Really… I meant none of it." Tanya looked away in concealed shame. "That… that wasn't me at all. It's just…"

"The past years have been horrible to you, and you've built the habit of instinctively lashing out at what would startle you."

Tanya looked up at her in mild surprise, and then she slowly nodded.

"You always had a scary knack for seeing these things, but I guess it's normal in the everyday life of a Nakada."

Kisa let out a small involuntary laugh, despite the situation. Tanya chuckled to herself and looked Kisa over again.

"Damn, girl, you've been growing. How old are you now, fourteen, fifteen?"

Kisa's mind went blank at the question. She shook her head sadly. "It's been hard to keep track. I honestly cannot recall, Tanya."

Tanya nodded, understanding. She smiled for Kisa, looking more like her old self, the Tanya that Kisa remembered. "Don't worry, we'll set it straight." Tanya looked up at the ceiling. "…Sorry for missing your past several birthdays, kid. I'll make it up to you somehow."

Tears inexplicitly began forming in Kisa's eyes again. Once they began falling, Kisa threw herself onto Tanya, letting it all out, her sadness and happiness, both old and new.

Tanya had no problem with that.

-

Tsunade didn't replace the two Anbu that were knocked out, instead opting to wait outside alone. She even closed off this hallway to all but herself. She told Shizune to take all messages in her place. She just wasn't in the mood to see anyone.

Standing beside a bench, Tsunade waited outside the room for about an hour. Her neck was red, but didn't hurt anymore. She really felt the need for sake, and the long wait with nothing to do would normally have driven her mad with boredom. But Tsunade refused to relax. With uncharacteristic vigilance, she patiently and stoically waited for Kisa and Tanya to finish. She was going to see this through, and she was going to do it sober.

With a quiet creak, the door to the room opened. Tsunade wasn't startled. Tanya calmly walked out. Briefly, she rubbed the bridge of her nose before turning her even gaze to Tsunade.

"…"

"…"

"Got a blanket?"

Tsunade's eyes widened slightly. She simply pointed at a nearby closet.

Tanya silently moved to the closet, and when she found the closet locked, simply broke off the knob and got in that way. Without a word, she took a spare gray blanket and went back in the room.

Tsunade only had to wait a minute before Tanya came out again, but this time, she held a bundle in her arms, which she set down on the bench with surprising gentleness.

Kisa, sometime during the past hour, had fallen asleep, and was now wrapped snugly in the spare gray blanket.

After steeling herself during the past couple of days towards a sharp, brutal, and insulting Tanya, she was caught completely off-guard by this unseen, softer side of the lizard woman. Her movements and actions were quiet, gentle, and almost motherly. Tsunade was awed, even touched.

And judging from the glare Tanya was giving her, Tsunade assumed that she was not to tell a single soul. She decided she would respect that.

"Yo, Hokage. Where can we talk?"

Tsunade was about to retort until it registered in her head that Tanya had addressed her by her proper title.

"Come with me to my office."

-

Leaving Kakashi to temporarily keep an eye on Kisa, Tsunade and Tanya took a more discrete route to Tsunade's office so as to cut down on the amount of attention they drew. They walked with intention and spoke to no one on the way. Shinobi who have never seen Tanya before backed away and stared at the pair. Shinobi who've had to deal with Tanya also stared, thinking that Tanya had finally, impossibly, been "tamed" by their Hokage. One shinobi had unwisely stated this thought out loud in their presence. Tsunade rebuked the shinobi and told him to be silent, while Tanya bared her teeth and stretched her claws in emphasis. Other than that, and Tsunade's command to Shizune to not let anyone, _anyone_, interrupt until she was done, the trip to the Hokage's office was uneventful.

Tsunade sat behind her desk with crossed fingers while Tanya stood off to the side gazing out the window, arms crossed.

Neither of them spoke, though both of them no longer antagonize the other as much as before. Tsunade knew that it was Tanya who instigated this meeting, but she wasn't going to rush her.

Tanya didn't seem inclined to say anything, but Tsunade could tell she had a lot on her mind. Tanya slightly turned her head towards her, and then turned away.

"Sorry about the neck."

Tsunade absentmindedly rubbed her neck where Tanya had tried to choke her. "Sorry about hitting you."

"Anyone ever tell you, you hit like a boulder?"

Tsunade chuckled, suddenly thinking back to her confrontations with Orochimaru. "That's the impression I get."

Tanya chuckled as well. "I like that." She waved towards outside, indicating Konoha. "Not only do you run all this, but you're strong enough to give the beat-down on anyone who has a problem with it."

Tsunade laugh out loud. "Damn right."

Tanya grinned. "Female empowerment for the win."

"I second that."

She knew Tanya was stalling on what she really wanted to say, but she also appreciated her obvious effort to clear the air between them. Whatever happened in the room with Kisa, it was now clearer to Tanya that Tsunade wasn't just another enemy to cut down or spit on.

It was surprisingly refreshing for both Tanya and Tsunade. How often was it when Tsunade could just chat with another adult, unencumbered and unburdened with protocol and formalities from being Hokage? Tanya refused to acknowledge any authority that she as Hokage had, and that took enough lip to rival even Naruto's.

As for Tanya, it was nice to just chat with another adult who wasn't intimidated or afraid of her in the least.

It became silent again and Tanya scratched the back of her neck in slight agitation.

"Listen, Head-Bi-… Hokage."

"Just call me Tsunade. It's not like the word Hokage means anything to you."

"Listen, Tsunade." Tanya looked slightly agitated again. She sighed and grumbled, then looked Tsunade in the eye. "Thanks."

Tsunade raised a questioning eyebrow. Tanya looked away.

"Thanks for taking Kisa in like you did. That was damn good of you to do, and I've never seen anyone with your kind of power do that." Tanya took a breath. "It means a damn lot to Kisa, and it means a damn lot to me."

Tsunade digested what Tanya said for a moment. "Kisa's special, isn't she."

"…Yeah. What's it to you?"

Tsunade turned her chair so that she faced Tanya. "Kisa has been around good people here. She's even made friends. I promise you that she's been in good hands up till this point."

When Tanya wouldn't say anything to that, Tsunade reached into a drawer and pulled out a pair of keys with an address tag. Catching Tanya's attention, she set the keys on her desk close to Tanya. Tanya looked at her with questioning eyes.

"I promised Kisa a place here, and now I'm going to cement that promise." Tanya's eyes widened. "She's made friends here, Tanya, and she's just getting used to the feel of Konoha." When Tanya remained silent Tsunade continued. "Kisa has made it clear to me that she wants to remain here, so I'm going to accommodate her however I can. Those are the keys to a flat that I'm going to give to Kisa. Originally, I was going to have other people look after her, but due to the circumstances, I'm requesting that you step in as her legal guardian."

Tanya wordlessly took the keys in a single, clawed hand.

Tsunade thought back, "And perhaps, with time, we all can help Kisa…" She knew she made a huge mistake when she said that, because of how Tanya reacted. Her eyes flared, her hand clenched into a hard, clawed fist, and she let out a vicious snarl. She rushed to apologize, "Tanya, I didn't mean-

"I know full fucking well what the fuck you meant!" Tanya looked like she was going to lash out at Tsunade, but didn't. Instead, she dropped the keys back onto her desk, dropping her rage with it. She turned away facing the window and not letting Tsunade see her face. Her tone was certainly furious, but it also held a degree of protectiveness.

She regretted even implying the current state of Kisa around Tanya, because it seemed obvious that she did know Kisa's current state very well.

"I know what you and everyone else around here is thinking, and you're right. Kisa isn't exactly healthy on many levels." Tanya's voice had less rage, but more bitterness.

Tsunade wanted to argue on behalf of treatment, but knew before trying that her words would fall on deaf ears. She instead waited for Tanya to cool down a little.

When Tanya finally did look back at Tsunade, she had none of the usual anger or mockery on her face. She was dead serious.

"Listen up, Tsunade, and listen good, cause I've got way too much to say and I'm only gonna say this one time to you, so you're not going to interrupt me. Kisa's damn grateful for all you people taking care of her, and fuck, I'm even more grateful. If even half of what Kisa has told me is true, you and your ninjas are the first decent human beings I've seen in years."

She paused, and then slowly shook her head. "But whatever you think you're doing for her health, whatever 'help' you think you're giving her, needs to stop, right now." She paused for emphasis.

"You think you're helping her, you plan and hope on even curing her, but I know what I'm talking about when I say that you're only wasting your time. How well do you think you really know Kisa? You think you know where she's coming from, that you got her figured out, when in fact you don't even have a clue. I'm not demanding that you cut yourselves off from her completely. I'm just giving you a warning beforehand to keep someone from screwing up and bringing the whole thing down on all of us. Kisa is…"

Tanya shut her mouth, and then sighed. "Kisa is a good girl, and I can tell she loves all you guys, but if you plan on keeping her here, I swear to you that people are only going to suffer, and I'm not talking about Kisa, either. Kisa always is, no matter what any of us do, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna let the hurting of those around her stain her conscious. She can suffer without the help of this village."

Tanya straightened. "So I'm letting you know beforehand that Kisa is definitely not staying in Konoha, at least not for good. Could be a week, could be a month, fuck, it could even be a year, but sooner or later I'm ditching this place and I'm taking Kisa with me whether she likes it or not, because by then you'll all be fucking happy to see us leave for good."

Tanya kept her gaze on Tsunade longer before turning towards the door. "Take my word for it, but then again, you won't even have to."

And with that she left, leaving Tsunade with cold thoughts.

-

-

* * *


	14. Glimpse of Menace

* * *

- 

"Well? Do they meet your expectations?"

Kabuto turned towards their guest. "Master Orochimaru is most impressed, Hsian-san. Your forces will make excellent additions to Hidden Sound."

"Hehehehaha… Good, good! Then we are in agreement! Once Master Orochimaru, you, and Sound have assisted me in my personal endeavor, we shall all share in my hunting spoils, and my forces and I will forever bear allegiance to Orochimaru! I take it your Master has personal use for my Adoju-nins?"

Kabuto grinned evilly. "He has a specific person in mind to task your unique shinobi with." Kabuto turned back to the screen. "But that's in the future. We first have this to deal with."

"Of course! Of course! I have already traced the nearest three subjects that I want!" The mysterious and manic shinobi made his way to the map of the ninja countries. After a brief look, he jammed two kunai into two different locations. Kabuto mused with a smile.

"Hidden Sand and Hidden Leaf… How convenient. Are you sure of this?"

"Positive, heheha! Currently, two of dear Doctor's subjects are in Hidden Leaf, and the other one I've tracked to Hidden Sand. The one in Sand is of minor consequence and not of immediate concern. My true prize resides in Leaf, heha!"

Hsian turned to Kabuto. "As you know, Kabuto-san, I had already dispatched considerable number of my Adoju-nins that should be arriving anytime now in Hidden Sand to retrieve the one there, but it matters not! Many more remain at my command, and if you and your Master so desire, your Sound forces can accompany the force that will attack Konoha to retrieve what is mine!"

"I'm sure Master Orochimaru would be willing. He is, after all, most enthusiastic of your partnership with him."

-

"Temari, you take these groceries. The sight of all this green is making me sick!"

"Too bad! You're the one carrying them, because I don't trust you to carry the snacks and milk."

Kankuro once again glared disdainfully at the bags of vegetables he was carrying. "Tell me again why the hell we're bringing veggies home to eat?"

"Baka! They're not for us, they're for our guest."

"Oh yeah, her." The unknown kunoichi without a headband that requested temporary shelter in Suna. They had easily found her out to be a kunoichi after one of Suna's jounin decided he wanted to get fresh with her, and failed miserably.

Temari looked up thoughtfully. "You know, I found out that she's really popular with the village elders."

"Yeah, well, half the time she seems like a granny herself. She even drinks tea like a grandma." Kankuro looked once more at the groceries. "Why the hell would anyone ever be a vegetarian, anyway?"

"Well, some people become vegetarians because meat is rare where they live. I hear Hidden Stone has that problem."

"And I thought vegetables were expensive this time of year."

"It's on Gaara's bill. He said he'd pay for it."

When the siblings came home, however, no one was there. "I'll bet they're at Gaara's office with the elders again," Temari said as she put their groceries away.

"What's with all the meetings lately?"

"It's a cover-up for the elders wanting to know her true abilities. They'll probably want to use her in some way. But Gaara would be opposed to that, and she seems smart enough not to…" Temari and Kankuro's ears perked up at the signal being rung that was now audible through the village, one they never believed would ever hear.

Suna was under attack.

More furious than horrified, Temari and Kankuro rushed out into the village open with giant fan and Karasu at ready.

And they saw them. Lots of them. Dozens, if not hundreds, of identical shinobi they had never seen before were swarming all over Suna. Skirmishes and battles broke out everywhere, but because of the chaos and numbers of the enemy, it was hard to determine what exactly the home situation was. Even as they stopped, a large group of them leaped overhead on the rooftops.

"What the hell are they doing here?"

"Temari! That group is heading straight for Gaara's office!"

Gaara! "Goddammit!"

They would have pursued after them, but before they could, a ring of the invading shinobi, all dressed in the same white bodysuit and mask, surrounded them, forcing them into defensive positions, back to back.

Temari had her battle fan in both hands and Kankuro had Karasu at his fingertips.

"Who the hell are you!"

They didn't answer. Wordlessly, they all leapt at the sand siblings as one.

-

* * *


	15. Secret Face

**Author's Notes**: Please forgive me for the unsatisfying previous chapter. It was just something that wouldn't have really fit with this chapter, and I wanted to get it out of the way. Events will take place in the near future of this fic.

* * *

- 

_Everyone wears faces. This is a common truth._

-

"…Hehe… hi…(gulp)…"

"Uhm… hello, Ms.… uh…"

Sakura and Ino found themselves in a rather uncomfortable position. They had planned on watching a movie and decided to bring Kisa along with them, which is what eventually brought them to the door to Kisa's new flat, one that was very similar to the flat that Naruto owned.

Hinata had warned them. She had warned them over and over. It only raised the two girls curiosity, so they rushed to see for themselves.

They really had no idea, and now they weren't completely sure as to what exactly they were going to do next without potential harm to themselves.

Frankly, they were a little scared.

In the doorway, modestly dressed by her standards, Tanya coolly eyed the two nervous girls, bucket of chicken in hand.

Frankly, she was a little amused.

She _could_ make them think that she was going ravenously devour all their flesh and slowly suck the marrow from their bones, but she decided to save the act for some other time.

"Yo, Kisa!" Tanya called back over her shoulder. "Pizza's here."

'Pizza…?' nervously thought Sakura and Ino.

A white haired head with bright green eyes peeked out from within the kitchen. Once Kisa saw who was at the door her face brightened into a smile and she jumped out into view, wearing simple shorts and shirt.

"Hello, Sakura! Hello, Ino! To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit to my newly established humble abode?"

Tanya rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh at that. "God damn it, kid, from what dictionary did you pull 'newly established humble abode' to describe this shack?" She waved her free hand around the flat.

Kisa gave a pout in the direction of Tanya. "I am very happy with what Tsunade-sama graciously donated to us, Tanya. I think it is a very pleasing and tasteful place to live as long as it is kept clean." She critically eyed the bucket of chicken Tanya held. "Putting aside my shock at seeing you eat meat that has been cooked, I don't think it's safe to ingest such a large quantity of cholesterol, either…"

"Pfft, please." Tanya popped a drumstick into her mouth and swallowed, bone and all. "I burn fat just by breathing."

"What?" Sakura and Ino couldn't help but blurt out. Now that they got a good look, they saw that Tanya seemed very fit for someone splurging on fried chicken.

Tanya gave a smug look. "Oh sure. Fried food is about the worst stuff I could possibly eat, but it's actually just slightly healthier than what I usually have."

"So, what do you normally eat then?" Sakura couldn't help but ask.

Tanya happily smiled. "Underweight teenage girls, of course." Sakura and Ino blanched and took a step back, making Tanya laugh.

"Tanya! Those are my friends, and that statement was most misleading and discouraging!"

"It's a joke." Tanya waved her off giggling. She stuck a thumb towards Sakura and Ino. "Your friends here want to take you a movie. What do you say?"

Kisa looked at the two of them quizzically before looking back at Tanya. "Is it permissible for me to leave with them to see a movie, Tanya."

Tanya made a sour expression. "What am I, your bitchy parent? Go on, git!"

Sakura and Ino sweatdropped, but they saw the inherent understanding that Tanya showed, and felt glad for Kisa. Kisa gave a happy smile. "Thank you, Tanya! I will hurry to dress into something casual and appropriate. Please wait for me." Kisa went for the steps to the second floor-

"You have 10:30 curfew, kid."

Sakura and Ino fell hard to the ground.

Kisa faltered in her steps, looking mildly confused. "I don't mean to question you, but if you tell me that you won't be a parent, then why do you impose a curfew?"

"Ah ah ah!" Tanya waved a finger at her, speaking in an all-knowing tone. You're right, and I didn't lie. I am not a parent. A parent would stay home and worry themselves sick wondering where the hell you are when you're late. I, on the other hand, would personally come and hunt you down if you don't show up on time." Tanya gave an evil, toothy grin. "And I _will_ find you, kid, no matter where you are."

It was Kisa's turn to sweatdrop. She scratched the back of her head and sheepishly grinned. "I will do my best to return at the appointed time, Tanya," she said before going upstairs.

Tanya passed a sly, discreet look and a small smile towards Sakura and Ino. "…I see someone's been teaching Kisa how to be a normal teenager. Nice to see she has a few decent friends in this place." Tanya walked out of sight of the girls, eating more chicken.

-

_A person will show a variety of faces to the world, depending on the situation at hand. The face we show to one side of our lives may not be the same as the face we show to another. Not always a conscious choice, it is the manner of which humans react in their many social interactions. This is the natural way of things, and most people live in this state, consciously or otherwise. _

_Kisa is no exception._

-

"That… (sob)… that was a most moving story… (sob)"

The movie ended and they left the theater a moment ago, and Sakura was doing her best to ease Kisa up a bit, but she and Ino couldn't help but smile. Girl had never seen a good chick flick before, it seems. They'd been worried that Kisa might be confused at the story or content. There was generally a lot that Kisa got confused at or didn't understand, afterall. That was Kisa. But as it turned out, Kisa caught onto the plot of the movie really quick. They also learned that Kisa gets really, _really_ into movies.

Acting and sounding scarily reminiscent of Lee in one of his moments, Kisa held up an arm to cover her face and catch her tears.

"Oi! Sakura-chan!"

"Oh, lovely Sakura!"

Speak of the devil.

Down the road ahead of them were Lee and Naruto, looking like they had run a marathon, which, knowing the two of them, they probably did.

"You both look like you could use a bath," Ino commented.

"Heh, but first we're gonna go chow down to replenish our stamina. Ne, Kisa-chan, you okay?" Naruto asked, noticing that Kisa was crying.

Lee, however, rushed right up to the girls, startling them all, though Kisa not so much. With his characteristic bright smiling face, Lee gave Kisa a thumbs up then held his hand out. "Greetings, Kisa! We have never met, but I introduce myself now. My name is Rock Lee! Please tell me why you weep with such vigor."

If Lee was scaring or disturbing Kisa in any way she didn't let it show. Instead, she went into a tearful and detailed recap of the movie they saw, including certain highlights and the ending.

As Kisa went on, Naruto's face turned sour. "Ugh, I hate romance movies."

Ino crossed her arms and a vein twitched in Sakura's head. "Well, no one's forcing you to go watch it, baka. Maybe if you watched a few you might learn something."

However, their attention was immediately drawn to Lee, who was crying waterfall tears.

"Oh… Such passion! Such drama! Such tragedy! But what a wonderful and happy ending!"

"Yes, it most surely was!"

And thus did Lee and Kisa bawl together, leaving Naruto, Sakura, and Ino to sweatdrop.

-

_It is obvious to those who pay attention that Kisa is one who shows a number of faces more pronounced and obvious than the norm. Such was the case upon her arrival to Konoha, where she developed even stronger faces._

_However, Kisa's faces are not unique. For whatever reasons, whether they are from past experiences, her natural personality, or her unstable condition, they are merely extremes of faces all people carry._

_Whether it be the innocent happiness of a child, the abstract intellect of one on a higher plane, or the echoing haunting and terror of one who's been through too much, all are common faces on Kisa. However, with her time in Konoha, Kisa's personality has become slightly tempered with a little more calm and confidence, and perhaps even some semblance of stability, which was naturally met with gladness and relief from her new friends._

_But even so, something about Kisa remains broken._

_Such is how she is, and there are many in Konoha who have already accepted that._

-

Kisa arrived back at her flat at approximately 10:23 PM to find Tanya fiddling with a number of suspicious bottles and cups.

"Tanya…? What are you doing?"

Tanya kept her condescending glare on the bottles while taking a sip from a cup. "Seeing what's so great about this 'sake' that everyone around here drinks. Don't see what the fuss is about."

Kisa blinked. "Uh…"

Tanya rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know it's impossible for me to get drunk, you don't have to remind me." Tanya chugged the rest of one bottle and made a face once she was done. "Still, girl can dream, can't she?"

"Girl?"

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "Oh, _hell_ no! You did _not_ just call me old!"

Kisa giggled slightly. "You may think whatever you wish, but I was not implying that you were old. You were the one who raised the suggestion, not I."

Tanya just stared at her for a bit, and then burst into loud laughter. "Oh my fucking god, I think you just gave me lip! You, give attitude? The world is coming to a fucking end, haha!"

Kisa wasn't sure what was so funny, but she joined in the laughter nonetheless.

"So did you have fun, kid?"

Kisa nodded eagerly, and sat down next to Tanya to tell her all about her outing. She told it with all the eagerness of a child coming home from her first day of school. What's more, Tanya genuinely listened to what she had to say.

"Hehehehe. So they forced the guys to pay for dinner, did they?"

"I would have argued on behalf of Naruto and Lee, but Sakura and Ino insisted that in such cases it is always the male who treats a party of females. Such was even the case in the movie I saw tonight, and I did not feel confident enough to argue the point." Kisa looked off in thought. "Although Lee-san seemed rather enthusiastic about treating Sakura."

Tanya shook her head. "Well, at least you had fun."

"Yes, I did."

Tanya and Kisa just looked at each other.

It somehow settled into that awkward silence, which was normally fine with Tanya, but unnerved her when it was with Kisa, and with good reason.

In Tanya's mind, too much quiet usually led to Kisa thinking too much about all the wrong things, which usually led to Kisa _seeing_ all the wrong things.

"…Tanya?" Kisa asked too quietly.

Tanya looked over at Kisa, who was turned towards Tanya, but had that distant, far-away look to her eyes. The distant, far-away look that Tanya always hated and feared seeing on Kisa.

'What are you seeing? What are you hearing?' was what Tanya thought.

"Yeah?" was what Tanya said in reply.

Kisa looked slightly downcast. "I'm… suddenly not feeling well. May I go to bed early tonight?"

"…"

Tanya was not Kisa's mother. Even if she had the inclination, she had no right to intrude on Kisa's space just to inquire what was wrong like a mother could.

"You don't need my permission kid…"

Still…

"But I'll walk you up to your room."

"May you tell me a story, Tanya?"

Listen to her, asking for a bedtime story like some scared of the dark four year old kid that wasn't even potty trained.

"Sure thing," Tanya said with a smile.

As far as Tanya was concerned, Kisa was still a kid, and she was going to treat her like the kid she deserved to be.

-

_However, there is another, new face that Kisa has begun to show in Konoha, one that slowly, but surely, develops. _

_This is a face that is unlike others, in that Kisa has herself more or less together. It is not a kind and happy face, nor a haunted one, nor an aloof and drifting one._

_It is a face that is bolder, more focused, calculating and perhaps even cold. There is little room for uncertainty, mercy, or kindness on this face, but speaks more of apathy and efficiency._

_Though she does not recognize it, this face is Kisa's face as the shinobi she never was._

_It is a face that has not been seen by any of Kisa's friends or loved ones._

_All shinobi remain ignorant._

_All save one._

-

Sasuke wasn't sure when he became such a stickler for schedules and keeping time. Naturally he hated tardiness, which was reflected in how he felt about Kakashi-sensei always being late. Even so, Sasuke should have been more flexible when it came to mundane things like plans and appointments. A shinobi had to be flexible, because battle situations can and do change, and a shinobi must be ready to adapt.

Maybe it was because in Sasuke's mind something so simple and mundane as keeping to a training appointment shouldn't have to merit too much change and flexibility, especially between two shinobi who didn't even have missions.

There was also little merit in getting so annoyed over something as small as this.

Whatever. Sasuke brought himself out of his brief musings and peered into Kisa's room.

As suspected, she was still in bed.

Today was the day for the two of them to train together, and through Kisa's negotiating, had agreed to meet at eight. It was late by his standards, but Sasuke complied.

And here she was still asleep. Sasuke somehow expected better.

Oh well, it was time to change that. Sasuke easily slipped inside, employing his shinobi skills through instinct and habit rather than through conscious choice.

Inside the second floor bedroom of the flat, Kisa's lithe form laid on its side under a blanket asleep, with her white hair strewn all about her head. For a moment, Sasuke thought that perhaps Kisa was sick, because of how she shivered and looked ill at ease. Closer inspection revealed that Kisa was not physically sick, merely having a nightmare.

She should be grateful for the wakeup call.

When Sasuke moved closer, his presence seemed to be enough to rouse Kisa slightly. Her shivering subsided and some degree of awareness came back to her face. Still half asleep, she gazed through her hair and cast her almost glowing green eyes in Sasuke's general direction.

"…Aniki…?"

Sasuke froze.

…Kisa had an aniki?

Even taking his past into account, there was no real logical reason for that to bother Sasuke, but it did. It bothered him a great deal.

"I'm not your aniki, Nakada."

That simple statement in his cold, monotone voice brought many changes to Kisa. Kisa was brought to full wakefulness within seconds, and once she got her bearings back, she lifted her head off her pillow and stared at Sasuke's face for a good six seconds.

"…"

"…"

Kisa plopped her head back on her pillow, eyes closed.

"Why are you in my bedchambers, Uchiha-san?" Though her face feigned sleep, she spoke in a crisp, clear, and only slightly tired voice.

Kisa had been developing a sort of attitude around Sasuke lately. It was never a problem, though, so Sasuke ignored it for the most part. If anything, Kisa seemed to get her act together, despite being innately deranged.

"I'm here because you're late for training."

"I see."

"…"

Is that all she had to say for herself?

"That means that you should be getting up, Nakada."

"Five more minutes."

…

…

Oh, HELL no!

Sasuke glared at her real hard, eye twitching. "You did not just say what I think you just said."

"You're welcome to whatever perception you are most comfortable with, Uchiha-san."

Sasuke certainly wasn't comfortable, or pleased, with that statement.

"You're not getting extra sleep."

Kisa rolled over onto her back, eyes still closed. "Five additional minutes of much needed rest on my part will have no significant impact on your timetable for today, Uchiha-san, which is a Thursday, of all days."

Sasuke needed to end this before he actually got angry. "I don't have time for this. Get up, now!" Sasuke swiped and flung the blanket off the bed-

-And stared wide-eyed for a good two seconds before he spun around, keeping his back to Kisa to hide his red face.

"Dammit, Nakada! Why the hell do you sleep naked!"

Kisa was most definitely up now. Sasuke could feel her glare on the back of his head like a hot iron.

"Well, up until this moment, it has never been an issue!" Sasuke sensed her getting out of bed and heard her bare feet heading towards the dresser, which was right in Sasuke's peripheral. It was there that Kisa began changing into her undergarments, and seemingly not caring that Sasuke was virtually right there next to her.

Sasuke found himself unconsciously staring out of his peripheral vision for a few seconds. Kisa paused and turned her scowling head towards Sasuke.

"There is nothing to prevent you from gaining a more satisfying view of my form, Uchiha-san."

That discouraged further peeping, and he turned away. Sasuke's face still burned red, half from anger and half from the obvious.

After a few minutes, Kisa had finished. "You may turn around now." He did, and Sasuke saw that Kisa was fully dressed in sandals, light pants, and a tight shirt, clothing that was appropriate for training.

Kisa had an expression that seemed to somehow border between indifference, anger, and embarrassment. She kept firm eye contact with Sasuke and her cheeks were slightly flushed.

"Did you like what you saw?"

Sasuke blinked. "Huh?"

Kisa's eyes narrowed and bore a glint.

"I'm asking you, as a male, did you find the intrusion and the unwarranted sight and exposure of myself pleasing."

"…" Sasuke kept silent, knowing that anything he said in response can and would be used against him.

The lack of response seemed to make Kisa angry, but she thankfully dropped the issue with, "Hmph." She turned towards the window, but kept her eye contact. "What now?"

"We would have been training, but since we've been set back, we're going to have breakfast and continue as normal."

Kisa nodded. "The plan is sound." She moved for the window. "However, this time you will pay for my morning sustenance, Uchiha-san."

Sasuke glared at her on principle. He suspected the reason, but wanted to hear it anyway. "And why the hell should I have to pay for your breakfast, Nakada?"

Kisa paused, then turned her full attention towards Sasuke, face neutral. She took a breath, and then spoke in utmost seriousness and without breaking her calm expression.

"Regardless of the fact that I am not a professional escort, it is to the best of my knowledge that amateur exhibitions of any kind merit some form of compensation on the part of the recipient of such entertainment."

…

Translation: Peep shows aren't free.

"Fine, free breakfast it is."

Kisa unexpectedly bowed. "Thank you, Uchiha-san. Since this does inconvenience you to some degree, I will work extra hard at training today."

Sasuke shrugged slightly, though inside he thought that she damn well better.

With that, Uchiha Sasuke and Nakada Kisa leapt out the window and began their day.

-

-

* * *

**Character Notes**: For many reasons that relate to the story and the characters themselves I'm trying to be very delicate and careful with what exactly goes on between Uchiha Sasuke and Nakada Kisa. For one, it's not so much a relationship as it is a partnership, albeit one that Sasuke imposes on Kisa. I try to make it clear that though there is certainly no romance, by now there is some degree of closeness between the two. They're not dating, they're not really friends, and they most certainly are not secretly lovers (though I somehow have a very easy time imagining the two becoming "friends with benefits"). It's not that I'm avoiding those aspects entirely. It's just that they don't have a place right now in the face of the things that will take place in my story.

There's method to my madness, however. I have my reasons for creating this peculiar relationship, and it is most definitely important to how the fic is going to turn out. Naturally, I can't give spoilers, however (I don't even let my beta reader know everything).

Next chapter will show more of what exactly the two do together, and how it's interpreted in all the wrong ways.

**Author Notes**: Without being overly dramatic, I'm just going to say that this story is going to be a lot longer than I expected it to be, which might be good since it gives more stuff to read, but it makes things move slowly, and I ask again to be patient with the pace of events, since there's also some degree of filler going on (my beta-reader is being very impatient about it). It's to my knowledge that most anime and manga fans hate filler, and I'm sorry.

As always, reviews are appreciated, questions will be addressed, and I'm still waiting on complaints, hehe.


	16. Mad Thursday

**A Note**: Summary has been significantly changed to something more appealing.

**Author Notes**: Many different POV's, scene changes, and mood changes in this one. Writing might be a bit sloppy, but I'll leave the quality of the content up to you guys. I've been having busy weeks, which will stay busy because I started school this week, which sucks. But I'll continue updating regardless. Please enjoy.

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"Can't… (puff)…. We… (puff)… take… (puff)… a short… (puff)… break… (puff)… Gai-sensei?"

"But Tenten, my fellow teammate, you've been doing so well in training! You don't know how overjoyed I was to hear that you would join me with Gai-sensei on our morning run, only to see the impact of your improvement. Why, look, we have only another 95 laps to run!"

Just what exactly was she thinking this morning?

It's true. With Gai-sensei's crazy training over the years, she has gotten a lot better at running laps.

Of course, that only meant that Tenten made it to 95 laps remaining instead of 100 before needing to stop, but in the eyes of Lee and Gai-sensei it was an incredible improvement.

Neji conveniently had to stay at the Hyuuga manor that morning, and thus didn't have to join in on his team's run.

"Hmm, perhaps a short stop is in order, Lee, my student. Just this once, for Tenten's sake. Remember, the bountiful energy of youth is much more stronger and everlasting in you!"

"Oh, Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

Tenten knew what was coming and tuned the two of them out. At least she got to stop. Their team had stopped around the edge of town, and Tenten sat down hard underneath a tree that faced part of Konoha. By now, much of Konoha was up and active, going about their business for the day. Citizens mostly, but Tenten also spotted a few early-bird shinobi.

Right across and some distance away from the tree where Tenten sat was a small restaurant that served breakfast and lunch. Tenten knew that this restaurant wasn't as popular or successful as other restaurants around Konoha, so it didn't have as many patrons.

However, one pair of customers caught Tenten's eye immediately, and once she noticed them, she did her best to be subtle and discreet, and not attract attention to herself.

This was because one of them was Uchiha Sasuke, who she had no doubt would immediately pick up on someone staring at him. And while they were both Konoha ninja, Orochimaru unpleasantness aside, Sasuke was just too unpleasant an individual for Tenten to want to deal with. Sure, he was hot, and he was one of the village's strongest ninja, but at this day and age Tenten decided that he wasn't her type. She already saw Neji on a regular basis on her team, and for Tenten, that was enough silent brooding for her.

Seeing Sasuke out here eating breakfast seemed mildly strange enough, but the fact that he was having breakfast with another girl struck Tenten as particularly odd, if only because it was so obvious that he hated most of the opposite gender.

The girl in question was lean and modestly dressed. She had pale skin, long white hair, and eyes so green they didn't seem natural. She also looked young, perhaps a couple years younger than Tenten, but she wasn't really sure.

They wouldn't have registered as a pair to Tenten if they weren't visibly talking to each other, albeit in a quiet, subdued manner.

Gai-sensei reared back as if struck, and pointed. "What is this? Look Lee! Do my eyes deceive me, or is that our very own Uchiha Sasuke sitting down for breakfast with a girl?"

Lee peered hard, his hands shading his eyes, and then he too reared back. "Oh! That is not just any girl, Gai-sensei! That is Konoha's latest guest and my new friend from last night, Nakada Kisa!"

Kisa… Tenten knew she heard that name before…

Then it clicked, and Tenten remembered. First came the rumors and stories going around Konoha of a homicidal and insane kunoichi that Neji and Hinata found nearby. She was kept at the hospital for a while under Tsunade's care, and it was there that the stories began to vary. However, Tenten knew the truth, somewhat. Kisa was as of now a citizen of Konoha, with her own place to live, and she even made friends with Ino and Sakura. It was from the two of them that Tenten heard all this. From what she heard from them, Kisa did have an innocent yet strange thought process, ever-proper speech, and a tendency to wander off in more ways than one. Sakura's concern was that Kisa wasn't quite right in the head, which made for easy rumors and stories of her being crazy.

Tenten took a good look. This Kisa didn't look so crazy.

"But why's she hanging out with Sasuke of all people," Tenten thought aloud.

Lee sprung up and pointed to the heavens. "That's it! This must be a sign that our once wayward friend is coming out of his cold shell and regaining his lost youth!"

"Why that must be it! Lee, my student, you are a genius!"

Tenten grimaced from how horrid that sounded, and hoped that Sasuke didn't catch what they said. Sure, they drove her nuts, but she didn't want Sasuke to kill her sensei and teammate. She really doubted that there was any sort of romance going on between Sasuke and Kisa, though Tenten was very tempted to follow that train of thought.

Briefly, she glanced at the two of them, talking quietly over breakfast.

They did kinda look cute together, in a… twisted sort of way.

-

Inside the restaurant, Kisa looked intently at Sasuke, caught up by this new information. "So not only can the Sharingan track and copy images and movements down to the millisecond, but they can also copy and interpret jutsus for the user to use himself."

Sasuke nodded while swallowing a piece of toast. He had just finished explaining the use and function of his Sharingan eyes, the bloodlimit of the Uchiha clan. Rather than revealing secrets to a girl he hardly knew, Sasuke saw it more as letting her know exactly what he was capable of and what he could do. Sasuke knew that she wouldn't do anything about it, either.

Kisa nodded to herself, obviously impressed and enlightened. Her green eyes met Sasuke's dark ones. "That is a very versatile and powerful tool you have, Uchiha-san. Even if you weren't as skilled as you are now, you would still be a shinobi to be reckoned with. Your fellow Konoha comrades should feel envious."

Sasuke grinned, feeling very smug and proud. Finally, here was someone who fully appreciated and understood the power of the Uchiha clan and their Sharingan eye.

Kisa's demeanor turned somber. "It is unfortunate that your clan has not survived, but the fact that they were slain to the man must have been a testament to how much your clan's power was feared."

That really wasn't the situation in which his clan was killed though, but it did sound like a feasible possibility to the uninformed. Sasuke frowned at her bringing up his clan, but he somehow managed not to turn furious at Kisa. He didn't know why, but to him, the way Kisa spoke of his clan like that, it seemed like she was giving his dead family the respect and reverence that he felt they were due, as opposed to everyone else in his eyes.

"You don't pity me for it, Nakada? You don't feel sorry?" He asked those questions without even thinking. Afterall, despite all the praise and esteem, everyone in Konoha pitied or felt sorry for him in some manner. It really annoyed him, but he couldn't see how it could have been any other way.

Kisa looked at him quizzically, as if he said something strange. "I would feel sorry for your loss of family, certainly, but it is not my place to mourn for them. That right to mourn for the Uchiha belongs to you alone. Furthermore, your potent skills aside, you have powerful blood, and powerful eyes, a legacy of your bloodline that survives to this day. There is no reason for me to pity you, Uchiha-san, when you are so strong and well-off in the ways that you want to be."

Sasuke couldn't help but stare at her in mild amazement. That just sounded so right. She was absolutely right! Why should people pity him or his clan? And what right did people have to feel sorry for him? And why did he whine so much about his losses when it was clear that he had everything he needed to do what he wanted to do? He was Uchiha Sasuke, and he was a damn powerful shinobi by himself, even without his clan.

And Itachi? Nothing made him angrier than the thought of the man who killed his clan, but the fact is that not only is Itachi the most powerful shinobi that Sasuke knew, but he was his older brother, another Uchiha. And it's Sasuke's job to become more powerful than Itachi, because as an Uchiha, only he had the ability, and the right, to become more powerful and kill his older brother.

What Kisa said rang true in his mind. Sasuke was powerful by birthright. Yes, there were shinobi who could compete with him, and even some who were more powerful than him right now, but he knew that as long as he kept pushing himself in training and remembered who he was, then he could eventually become more powerful than everyone.

Sasuke felt his morale rise at the words of this girl who he now felt was the only one in this entire village who really knew anything.

"You're absolutely right, Nakada. You shouldn't pity me at all."

Kisa let out a small smile. "Well, there you go, Uchiha-san," she replied mildly as she dug into her eggs.

-

Recently in Konoha, a street side dango shop opened up, which made and sold freshly made dango on Sundays and Thursdays. This was a huge hit among many of Konoha's children, and it was a common sight to see Academy students going straight to buy dango right after class was over. Of course, the new dango shop was a hit among a adults, too, those that had a taste for the sweet dumpling. In fact, one particular jounin had become a regular customer.

Lounging on a bench next to a shopping bag full of food and feminine necessities, Anko enjoyed her dango in peace. Leisurely, she eyed the excited Academy students lined up for their share of the dango. She just got back from a mission yesterday and she was going to enjoy her time as much as she can before she gets called in for missions again.

Anko smiled when she thought of her time at the Academy. Man, those were the good ole days, a time when she actually had normal fun with normal friends. It was a time where it was easier to just be herself.

Then Anko frowned as her thoughts strayed to after her Academy days, when she became a genin and was assigned her jounin instructor.

"Orochimaru…"

Unconsciously, Anko touched the spot on her neck where her contained curse seal was. Despite what people thought, Anko wasn't particularly or extremely hateful or vengeful of Orochimaru, but neither did she harbor any secret feelings for the man. Well, yeah, she hated his guts for the things he did, and wanted nothing more than to see Orochimaru hung up on a tree by his intestines. She'd gladly do it herself, too. Her time spent under Orochimaru only made her feel shame and regret.

She sighed. No, she didn't miss Orochimaru. She missed the good old days when she didn't have a care in the world, when she had someone looking out for her, and things were fine just they way they were.

Anko huffed. Man, what a fine way to spoil her morning. She didn't come out here to think of Orochimaru, dammit. She finished her dango, thinking where she was going to go next. Maybe she'll hang out at Kurenai's for a bit…

Anko froze, looking towards the dango shop. She didn't know why, but for some reason she was suddenly having a very strong and vivid flashback to back when she was young and Orochimaru was her instructor. It was a day when Orochimaru had chosen to treat her out to shopping, much to Anko's happiness. The two of them walked down this very road. She could see an image of herself and Orochimaru, walking side by side as superior and subordinate, carrying shopping bags and talking, clear as day…

Anko shook her head and rubbed her eyes. No, it wasn't _Orochimaru_ she was seeing…

Chills threatened to overtake Anko.

The vision of Orochimaru and herself faded away. Directly in its place walking by were instead Uchiha Sasuke and a white haired girl.

Anko stood, shaken, and stared hard at them as they walked out of sight, shopping bags in hand.

What the hell was that all about?

-

Kisa looked to Sasuke, looked within the contents of her bag, then looked at him again. "So now will you tell me why you bought so many sweets and soft drinks?"

Sasuke, getting annoyed, finally relented. He really didn't want to admit the reason, but he knew she'd keep asking for it. "I want to eventually practice using more of your Akuma Katon, and until I get used to that god awful taste I'm going to be having some sweets to cope."

Kisa nodded. "That makes perfect sense, Uchiha-san. I did the same at one point."

Well, at least she understood, Sasuke thought.

Kisa then looked at their bags again. Sasuke's bags had all the bandages, water, and healing salve. "Then, will you also tell me the reason why you refused to carry the bags with the sugar?"

"…"

"…Well?"

"…"

"…May you please answer me, Uchiha-san?"

Sasuke gave an exasperated sigh. "To maintain my image, Nakada," Sasuke growled out. It was embarrassing to say, but it was completely true. Sasuke liked his dark, bad-boy image and he wanted to keep it.

"…" Kisa blinked, then slowly nodded. "That makes perfect sense, too, Uchiha-san. Images are important."

Sasuke glanced over, and then turned back.

Well, at least she understood, Sasuke thought.

-

Well, at least Kisa wasn't kidnapped, though Tanya wasn't going to let that possibility slide.

Coming in to Kisa's room to find she left out the window wasn't that bad. Realizing some moments later that the room smelled of adolescent male made Tanya a little paranoid.

Far up in the sky atop a tree, stressing her eyesight to its limit, Tanya eyed Kisa and the shinobi as they walked by.

Were they in a more natural setting, and were Kisa a more normal girl, Tanya would have felt inclined to congratulate her on scoring a hot guy. He looked a little stiff for Tanya's taste, though, not to mention too young. She'd feel like a pedophile.

It didn't look like abduction, but neither did it look like a date, which were the only two believable and quasi-acceptable reasons for breaking into their flat as far as Tanya was concerned. Tanya's keen senses, though mainly intuition, noted that neither of them looked especially excited or nervous in any way.

He's probably another friend that Kisa made, Tanya finally decided. Still, she was a little uneasy at how the guy moved. Like an elite. An arrogant one at that. What he was doing with someone whom he would clearly think was crazy was beyond Tanya. Tanya couldn't tell how powerful the dark haired shinobi was, but he definitely looked like the dominating and controlling type. One who might possibly exploit Kisa for her… "unique" abilities, if ever he found out about them.

Tanya really didn't like the idea of Kisa hanging out with someone like that. She had a strong desire to get down there and show him who was boss, but she didn't want to make that kind of display in front of Kisa.

She frowned as a very rare and unique thought occurred to her.

Maybe she was worrying too much.

Afterall, the other shinobi was obviously a local, so that was kind of okay, since Konoha shinobi are supposedly now their allies, for the moment. Besides, what if the interaction really was innocent with no dark intentions? Kisa was much more settled into Konoha than she was. She shouldn't barge in if that was the case. Also, Kisa might look at the world in a really weird way, but she wasn't stupid in the least. If she was threatened in any way, and she would know if she were threatened, she'd act as such.

A bitter smile formed on Tanya's face as she reminisced about what she knew about Kisa's clan. Nakada have no problem spotting threats. And she knew for a fact that any Nakada would have no problems defending themselves if push came to shove.

Not all Nakada were aggressive, but every Nakada was more than capable of defending themselves, or at least royally screw their enemy up before they go down.

Yeah… Tanya can leave Kisa alone for now, right?

…

Still…

Instead of heading for Kisa and the shinobi, Tanya headed for another direction, actively looking for a watcher that Tsunade would surely have put on her just for safety, if she were courteous enough. Even some random jounin would do.

It was time Tanya got more familiar with Konoha and its shinobi, and the first questions she was going to ask were going to be about tall, dark, and brooding with the fruity fan on his back.

-

Shortly afterwards, they arrived at the Uchiha training area. Silently and without fuss, Sasuke and Kisa set down and arranged the things they bought from the market, putting them in order and off to the side to avoid getting damaged. They stood apart from each other for a moment. Sasuke was just waiting on Kisa to have the first word, but Kisa seemed to be in la la land at the moment, like she liked to do. Though her body was still steady, her eyes were drifting and slightly unfocused. After a moment, she focused on her surroundings and spoke.

"What will we be doing, Uchiha-san?" Kisa asked in a semi-respectful tone.

Sasuke paused, suddenly thinking hard on the subject matter. He remained silent, but knew that it was a good question. Just exactly what were they here to do? Sure, they dabbled in exercises and simple sparring whenever the thought struck one of them, but this was the first time the two of them settled down for a full and official training session. Sasuke certainly wasn't here to teach Kisa anything, and he planned on getting just as much out of Kisa as Kisa probably did him.

This was frustrating for Uchiha Sasuke. Whatever it was about Nakada Kisa, it made him feel small degrees of uncharacteristic uncertainty. And there were still things that unnerved him slightly about her. Just slightly, and for obvious reasons. Sure, he grew accustomed to her quirks, but the girl still struck him as unnatural at times.

"We'll first practice Katon techniques till we have them down better, and then…"

Kisa waited patiently for Sasuke to finish.

"Then we'll fight," Sasuke finally said. Yes, that seemed most natural for the Uchiha. "We'll fight, ninjutsu, taijutsu, everything we have. Give it your all and show me what you've got." Sasuke turned towards Kisa. "Whatever we learn from that will determine how we'll train afterwards."

Kisa inclined her head to the side, looking at Sasuke quizzically. "What about you, Uchiha-san? Will you be putting forth your best effort as well?"

Sasuke shook his head. "It won't be necessary. And I don't feel inclined to kill you, accidentally or otherwise."

Kisa slowly nodded, something flickering in her eyes. "Would not the alternate be possible, however? Do you not worry that I would inflict harm on you?"

Sasuke thought about that for a few seconds. "No, I don't worry, because the alternative won't be possible. I'm too strong." Sasuke turned slightly towards Kisa. "I'll be quite impressed if you prove otherwise."

"You want my techniques, don't you, Uchiha-san," Kisa said evenly.

Sasuke leveled a steady gaze at her. "Of course. What would I be if I didn't?" Sasuke gave a tiny smirk. "Don't worry, though. I can't copy bloodlimit techniques."

"If you say so, Uchiha-san." Sasuke frowned slightly. What a queer response. No surprise? No accusations? No threat?

Huh.

Sasuke walked to the center between two posts, arms crossed, while Kisa followed him with her eyes. This should be interesting.

"I'm going to hold back a little, but don't be offended, Nakada. I don't think you'll notice."

-

Sakura rounded on Tsunade in the face of this new information. "What? Kisa comes from a clan, and it was wiped out just like Sasuke's?"

Tsunade nodded, expecting this reaction. "That's what she implied when I first met her." Tsunade turned towards Sakura, as they walked down a hospital corridor. "I figured you'd see how they connect."

Sakura slowly nodded. "Yeah… I can definitely see how they can relate to each other now, even if it is Sasuke."

Things were relatively quiet around Konoha's hospital, and Sakura and Tsunade thought they'd just have a chat. Though unintended, the conversation naturally steered towards the topic of Kisa. One thing that Sakura couldn't help but bring up was not necessarily how well Sasuke and Kisa got along, but more like how naturally the two of them tolerated each other's company.

At first Sakura couldn't figure out how the two of them could get along so soon after a first meeting, but in light of this revealed history into Kisa's past, it seemed impossible for the two of them _not_ to relate so well. I mean, come on, both come from clans with a rare bloodlimit, and both clans get wiped out, leaving the two of them to fend for themselves. That's more than enough common ground.

It could also partially explain Kisa's mental instability, Sakura noted grimly. Sasuke was scarred and rendered cold for life after witnessing the Uchiha clan massacre. Kisa might not have been as strong as Sasuke, leaving her mentally broken after going through her own tragedy.

As far as Sakura could see it, despite how she turned out, Kisa would have no problem sympathizing and understanding Sasuke.

"Jealous, Sakura?"

Sakura cringed at the mild barb, but hesitantly and admittingly nodded. "A little. On the face of it, Sasuke doesn't treat the two of us any different. It's just how fast he seemed to accept and not be hostile towards Kisa that really got to me. Makes me wish that Sasuke would have accepted me just as readily when we were younger."

Tsunade nodded knowingly. "Those 'What If's' are really the worst aren't they?" She frowned. "But I can't see how that would bother you that much by now."

Sakura stopped, thinking. "Well, yeah, there is also something else. It's about Kisa herself."

Tsunade raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Well, there's one thing…" Sakura went into a recap of her observations of Kisa when around Sasuke, and her concerns on how Sasuke's strong personality might be influencing Kisa's.

Tsunade listened, nodding to show that she was listening. "It's an interesting concern. Kisa does seem like the type who would be especially sensitive to her environment. And we don't want Kisa to turn out like Sasuke, now do we?"

Sakura suddenly had a comical image pop into her head of Kisa in a blue Uchiha outfit, looking disgruntled and giving an Uchiha-characteristic "Hmph! You're annoying."

She shuddered.

"You don't think that Kisa is in any danger from Sasuke, do you?" Tsunade asked appraisingly.

Sakura looked shocked. "No! Sasuke isn't like that! At least… I'm sure he's not." Sakura shook her head. "He's so insensitive and careless of people's feelings, but Sasuke wouldn't go out of his way to hurt someone, and there's no way that Sasuke would be taking advantage of Kisa. It's just… not him." Or was it? Sakura was suddenly scared. Surely Sasuke wasn't abusing Kisa in any way. But how would they know if he was?

Tsunade saw her fear, and decided to comfort her. "Don't worry, Sakura. You're probably right about that. I'm sure that Sasuke takes as much good care of her as you and Naruto do."

-

"Ahh-ugh!" Kisa landed hard against the trunk of a tree as she was propelled by Sasuke's attack. She slid down to the ground with a hard thud. By now, she was beaten, cut, and singed all over, a result of Sasuke's battle prowess, even when holding back some of his power. She hurt all over and she was feeling rather defeated and discouraged.

Sasuke stood some ways away, with a small number of amazingly accurate razor cuts that hit his arteries, and approximately one bruise. He was in far better condition than Kisa was, but feeling just as discouraged. It wasn't because of any difficulty in the fight, or because his fighting performance. It was all because of Kisa, and not from how well she was doing, but from how well she wasn't doing. Whatever he was expecting, this wasn't it, but in truth, he really shouldn't have expected anything else.

But the thought gnawed at him obsessively, digging into him, irritating him.

Kisa wasn't strong enough.

How she got stronger or why she needed to get stronger he didn't know, and he didn't care. He only knew that she had to be.

Itachi was strong.

Orochimaru was strong.

Naruto was strong.

'Why aren't you?' Sasuke screamed in his head at Kisa as he glared at her.

Kisa, when pushed, was certainly a deadly opponent, but not deadly enough for Sasuke. Momentarily, Sasuke's Sharingan eyes met Kisa's. Her eyes glowed as she lay at the base of the tree she was slammed against, but even through her unearthly and unnatural green glowing eyes, uncertainty and nervousness began to show.

She was beginning to show weakness. Sasuke wouldn't put up with that.

He would just have to push her harder.

"Are you all that the Nakada clan has to offer? Pathetic!" Sasuke sneered in a harsh, cold voice.

Kisa jumped and froze at the jibe, staring at Sasuke incredulously. Slowly it dawned on her, her hands and shoulders trembled, and her face changed, eyes pulsing with her heartbeat.

Finally. It was about time he got Kisa angry.

Ignoring her pain, Kisa abruptly and shakily stood. Her glowing green eyes held anger and traces of irrational madness.

"Trample on me all you wish, but you will not speak ill of my clan!" Kisa bit her finger. Sasuke tensed, suspecting what was coming. Two can play at that game, thought Sasuke as he bit his own finger.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu: Akumu Nakayoshi!" Kisa slammed her bloody hand hard against the tree behind her-

-the tree inflated and burst like a giant boil, letting loose a gigantic, fatty, leprous looking rat in a spray of fluid. Worms and smaller rats were visibly eating their way out of the rotting flesh of the massive rat. It shrieked in agony and fury, and flung itself at the Uchiha.

Though his hands went through the hand seals of his own summon, Sasuke's hard exterior nearly cracked as he mentally gaped at the foul and horrendous monstrosity. And he thought he'd seen it all.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Sasuke planted his hand on the ground, which burst into smoke.

Kisa's leprous rat leapt at the smoke, only to be gobbled up by a summoned snake of even larger size. Sasuke's snake didn't last, however, before it began to spasm as if incredibly sick.

In moments, Sasuke's summon died along with Kisa's, but that wasn't the real issue, Sasuke immediately realized.

Sasuke had foolishly let the rat distract him. Kisa had been making a long string of hand seals, and by now she had finished.

"Ishoku no Fukitsu Joushi no jutsu!" Kisa screamed as she slammed her hands on the ground. From her hands, thick and pitch black scrawlings spread outward rapidly on the ground. They looked more like deranged script than any summoning runes he ever saw. Sasuke jumped back, startled as the scrawl spread underneath him and continued. They spread outward to cover everything, leaving nonsense scrawl covering the entire Uchiha training area.

His Sharingan told him that it wasn't a genjutsu.

'This can't be good…' Sasuke nervously mused in his head.

Black arms shot out of the thick black scrawl on the ground.

'Definitely not good!' Sasuke frantically yelled in his head as he leapt.

Or tried to leap. One hand caught his ankle

Solid black arms stretched and grabbed hold of him and slammed him hard back into the ground, into more arms. They were strong, and there were far too many grabbing hold of him, pinning him, choking him, and attempting to pull him apart. Sasuke knew he only had one chance to get out of this attack that he stupidly let himself get caught by-

Abruptly and without warning the arms retreated back into the scrawls, and the scrawls retreated back to their point of origin, returning the ground to its normal state.

"What…?" Sasuke leaned up from the ground and spied Kisa, sweating and struggling to stay seated upright. She was breathing heavily and her eyes had lost their entire glow, a sign that she had disengaged her bloodlimit.

They had both been amateurs in this fight. Sasuke grew complacent, becoming slow and less attentive. Kisa lost track of her chakra and eventually neared chakra depletion.

Kisa's technique with the arms had left Sasuke a bit sore. Slowly he stood and gathered up some of the stuff they bought from the market before he made his way over to Kisa, who had her head hung low. He stood within a meter, coolly gazing at her, analyzing her. She wouldn't meet his eyes, but couldn't tell whether it was out of anger, shame, stubbornness, or simple sheer exhaustion.

"…Pretty powerful technique you pulled there, Nakada."

Kisa simply shrugged.

Sasuke sat down in front of her to look at her eye to eye. He could now see that Kisa's eyes were slightly glazed over, focus lost. Even so, Sasuke knew that she was fully aware of him and can clearly hear what he says. She looked as if she were sick.

Sasuke set down some water and salve next to Kisa.

"…Next time we're going to run laps. Get your stamina up to increase your chakra stores, so that your black arms technique doesn't end so prematurely."

"…" Kisa remained silent, her eyes seeing little.

She nodded.

-

Hours after the fight, Kisa walked alone through the quiet forest besides a large stream. Most of that time was spent recovering her chakra and tending to her mild injuries. Her training with Uchiha-san was over, and she left him alone to his personal space and his own personal training. Without fuss or lingering looks, they parted, and now here Kisa was, further out into the woods rather than going back home. She remained within sight of Konoha's walls in the distance, but refused to come closer.

The weather was good, the breeze cool, the sun bright, the forest lush green, and the stream water was peaceful and crystal clear. But Kisa noticed little of it.

Kisa gritted her teeth in frustration, feeling lost. She couldn't see straight. She couldn't walk straight. Voices murmured around her and wouldn't stop. Trees shivered and shook in apprehension and concern. Bubbling laughter rose from the stream, regaling humorous anecdotes to those who would listen.

Kisa was so confused.

Why was she fighting so hard?

Every leaf in the forest held snapshots of Kisa's memories, flashing once before deciding to hide themselves.

Why was this becoming more difficult?

Kisa's thoughts drifted to Uchiha Sasuke's cold, apathetic visage.

Why did she feel so angry?

With a snarl she grasped her head, digging her nails into her scalp, willing herself to feel pain, to force her attention to stay in one place. Vertigo threatened to overtake her as she began losing all sense of direction.

Why was she so mad!

Fires burned.

Why!

Kisa paused and froze. Hands on her head, she slowly looked over behind her to spot the disturbance.

A wild pig had decided to stop, curious at the behavior of the Nakada.

Perplexed, Kisa simply stared back at the pig. Soon, too soon for someone like Kisa, she got annoyed. Very annoyed.

"What are you looking at, pig?" she tartly demanded of the pig.

The pig said nothing, scuffling his hooves slightly and moving his head back and forth, deciding it was hungry.

The anger began to overtake her again. Voices murmured nasty thoughts into Kisa's ear. The trees tried to run from the unseen fire but could not uproot themselves. "Don't ignore me, you primitive and filthy animal! Answer me!"

The pig sniffed the air, suspecting that delicious truffles lay buried underneath the trees.

Her fury began to build. Blotches of red spread throughout Kisa's vision as unholy fury built up within her. Her eyes flickered, and then glowed their baleful green. She shook all over as her fury hit critical point. Her hands snapped together in seals.

Bull!

Dragon!

"Suffer!" She screamed deafeningly.

The pig's squealing was even more deafening. His mind lost, the pig plunged headfirst into the stream, the water drowning out the pig's cries in subdued gurgles.

The pig was drowning itself.

Clarity came over Kisa.

The pig was drowning itself?

Kisa's expression was one of dawning horror.

The pig was drowning itself!

Kisa tried to go for the pig, but she felt as if she moved as slowly as molasses. "No! Please, stop! I'm sorry! Please! Come back…"

No more sounds came out of the still pig. The pig floated in the stream, no longer breathing, barely moving despite the current.

Kisa promptly threw up. She purged her stomach, heaving herself even after nothing was left.

Once she stopped and opened her glowing eyes, she noticed red blots decorating her bile and the ground before her. Her vision was slightly blurry.

Slowly, Kisa placed a trembling hand on her face and felt the telltale sticky wetness.

Her eye sockets were bleeding.

Kisa began hyperventilating. Panic overtook her. The land morphed like soft clay. The air was murky and thick with the stench of sulfur. The diseased sun spoiled further into an oily black, transforming the dependent trees into toxin producing stalks. Frantically she looked everywhere around her for something, _anything_ that was still solid, that still made sense.

Her terrified eyes landed on the stream that now bubbled and gurgled, all water replaced with stale pig's blood.

Without pause, Kisa plunged her head underneath the surface of the foul and thick blood.

She expelled all the air out of her lungs, forcefully drowning herself in blood.

_1, 2, 3, 4…_

The blood felt slick and tasted absolutely sickening.

_9, 10, 11…_

She wanted to scream in disgust and horror.

_17, 18, 19…_

She wanted nothing more than to lift her head and breathe.

_26, 27, 28…_

But she denied her body its needs.

_35, 36… 37, 38…_

With all her willpower, she kept her head submerged in the sick stream.

_42… 43… 44… 45…_

She began to feel lightheaded and weak from lack of oxygen.

_51… 52…_

She was going to die.

_55… 56…_

Not yet, not yet, not yet!

_58… 59…_

Kisa flung herself from the stream, bringing her head out into the open, vision blinded black, lungs audibly and raggedly heaving, heart beating erratically, and she landed hard on the ground, trembling, twitching, no longer even conscious. The glow in her eyes faded away.

The sun shone brightly. A cool breeze flew by, rustling the lush green leaves of the trees. Overhead, a flock of migrating birds flew. One of them threw a brief glimpse at the pale and trembling half-dead Nakada, head soaked in water.

The peaceful, crystal clear water carried the dead pig further downstream.

-

"Man, today was so boring," complained Naruto to no one in particular as he made his way to the Konoha gates. Sakura spent the whole day at the hospital, Kakashi-sensei didn't want to be bothered by Naruto that day, and Sasuke was nowhere to be seen, though it was pretty hard to find Sasuke when he didn't want to be found. And since Naruto couldn't find Sasuke, he at least checked in with a few jounin to make sure he was at least still in Konoha, which they insist he was.

Naruto felt sad after that. He didn't want to feel so distrustful of Sasuke at times. It wasn't like him at all. But Naruto couldn't help but feel that Sasuke secretly harbored a desire to leave again. He worked so hard to bring Sasuke back, and he hoped that he didn't have to do it again.

So lost was Naruto in his thinking that he almost missed spotting Kisa. He did a slight double take when he did.

Kisa sat hunched up against a tree that partially hid her. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, and her knees hid her face. Only her hair was visible, which looked to be in the process of drying itself out.

Sensing that something was wrong, Naruto approached a little more quietly than he normally would have. "Kisa-chan?" he said cautiously as opposed to yelling it.

Kisa jumped and whirled her head around to look at who called her name. Naruto noted with sadness that Kisa's green eyes did have the traces of tears.

"Naruto-san… I'm…" Kisa sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I am most apologetic that you had to see me in this state." Kisa gave a weak smile. "It is very unbecoming for most people to be found as such, as I understand."

"Ne, it's alright, Kisa-chan. It's no big deal." He didn't reprimand her for calling him Naruto-san or for talking the way that she did, knowing that this wasn't the time. He didn't ask why she was crying, but he did have a suspicion. "Was someone being mean to you, Kisa-chan?" He remembered how some of Konoha's civilians and even ninja didn't really like Kisa. He remembered how angry he got at the time he heard a few people whispering about her.

Kisa stiffened, her eyes going out of focus for a moment, just a moment. Naruto's eyes hardened a bit. So someone _was_ being mean to her.

Kisa sighed, looking at the ground. "To some degree, I suppose. But it is of little circumstance, Naruto-san, so you have no need to become upset."

Naruto was surprised that she had guessed that Naruto would have gotten mad at that. He felt very sympathetic for Kisa, feeling like he understood a little bit, despite the fact that the girl was still a strange mystery to him sometimes.

Naruto thought hard. He didn't want his friend to stay so sad. He had to cheer her up somehow.

"I know!" Kisa looked up at him, curious at the outburst. Naruto gave Kisa a grin. "Are you hungry, Kisa-chan? Cause I'm absolutely starving."

Kisa was puzzled at the random question, but slowly nodded. "Yes, I am quite hungry as well, Naruto-san." Then her face brightened up in realization and hope. "Would it be feasible for me to try more ramen, Naruto-san?" Kisa asked with childlike excitement.

Yes! Naruto cheered, knowing he hit it dead on. "Yeah! I'm gonna treat you out to more ramen! You have to try the miso pork ramen, Kisa-chan! It's the best!" Another great thought occurred to Naruto. "Then if we have time, I can show you some of my awesome moves!"

"Moves?"

Naruto nodded hard. "Yeah, my techniques, my jutsus, all of my super ninja skills." Naruto gave a smug and proud look. "I'm one of the strongest shinobi in the village. I'm even stronger than Sasuke."

Kisa looked very surprised and very skeptical at that statement. "Even stronger than Uchiha Sasuke?" A small grin formed on her face. "I very much need to witness the evidence behind such an outlandish claim. Yes, after we eat, I'll be very happy to bear witness to your impressive 'moves,' Naruto-san."

"Well, then what are you waiting for? To Ichiraku!" Naruto cheered.

"To Ichiraku!" Kisa cheered happily in turn.

Naruto helped Kisa to stand, once again noting her partially wet hair. "So what have you been doing all day? Today was just sooo boring."

Naruto missed the brief darkening of Kisa's eyes.

She gave an understanding smile towards Naruto. "Today has been very uneventful for me as well, Naruto-san. I haven't been doing much of anything at all…"

-

-

-

-

**Author's Notes**: Does anyone else think that the scene with the pig merits an M rating in itself? Could be just me. Keeping the fic T rated is a concern of mine, even if I do my best to push the limits (though it's not like many readers care about the ratings, anyway, right?).

If you're critical about that kind of thing, you'll note that the scene with the pig wasn't really needed at all. Kinda overkill, actually. But I write scenes like that because I often feel the need to kill all built pretenses and hose down all the sugar coating, so that I can make it very clear how just serious Kisa's condition is. I tone it down when it's appropriate, but I never make light of it. That would be an injustice to her character and the story.

Exact explanations behind her condition will come later.

Her private technique with the Bull, Dragon handseals (this is the second time I've shown it) does hold significance and better define Kisa's overall abilities.

Akumu Nakayoshi – Nightmare Lover (as in intimate friend of nightmares)

Ishoku no Fukitsu Joushi – Implantation of Sinister Limbs (corny, but it works)

-

**A slipup on my part**: A question that came up in the writing process that I didn't really consider or care too much about was this. Why the hell was Sasuke treating and pushing Kisa the way he's doing and thinking the way about her that he does, namely during the training session in this chapter? I don't have a solid concrete answer to that question, but this is my theory after analyzing this fic's Sasuke, and the best answer I can give you. It's purely psychological, almost like an obsession. Sasuke sees Kisa as, at least, a partial reflection of himself. And he cannot and will not tolerate seeing his reflection so weak in his eyes. But since he unconsciously sees her as a part of himself, he puts aside the time and effort to improve that part of his image. That's the theory.

Not to say that the scene was done randomly, not at all. That scene happened the best and most reasonable way I thought it would.


	17. Good Deeds Over Barbecue

**Author's Notes**: Very sorry about the long delay, again. School, conflicting interests and all.

I swear these chapters get bigger every time I open up Word.

So you know as a warning, this is a completely Tanya-centered chapter, complete with the mean attitude and bad language that comes with, and a very good look at Tanya's development in Konoha as she becomes more integrated into Konoha, if you're a fan of her at all that is. You won't see any of Kisa or Sasuke in this chapter. However, there will be plenty of hints throughout the chapter that may shed insight into the background of the story. Also, this chapter will be the last of the "filler" that I wanted to get out of the way before I get down to what I really want to show and get moving.

Expect to see a lot of the older characters in this chapter, including Kakashi. This concern was raised before, so I'll touch upon it again. Tanya is not going to be paired with Kakashi. However, I strongly want to develop a friendship between the two in my fic.

Gai leaves quite the impression on Tanya, look forward to it.

* * *

- 

-

-

-

_The Demon He's here It's too much for them Help them out now Stay where you are He's coming But my team They're dying Hurts so much Where is he Doctor What happened My face Not my eyes Not my eyes NOT MY EYES!_

Tanya awoke without a sound, her red eyes simply opening and quickly adjusting to light.

"Ugh…" She groaned in annoyance. She slept into early afternoon.

She slowly stood from her mattress, rubbing her temples from a headache she didn't have now, but knew she would have later.

"Fucking nightmare…" It was a nightmare without images, just voices, old remembered voices from such a long time ago that she didn't feel like pinpointing in her mind exactly when it happened.

She remembered very well _what_ happened, though, and that was more than enough for Tanya.

Whatever. It was ages ago. It's not like there's anyone else alive who remembers, who's even here.

Tanya frowned, momentarily forgetting where exactly she was now, till she got a good look around her room and out the window, where in the distance she saw a mountain with faces chiseled in.

Oh right. I'm staying with Kisa is a flat in a ninja village called Konoha.

Tanya felt that headache coming on.

She closed her eyes and took a good few strong whiffs of the air in the flat she knew she lived in for the time being, taking in smells and sensations most could only dream of experiencing. At least she liked to think so.

Tanya's senses told her that Kisa woke up hours ago, lingering sweat and restless vibes from her room telling her that Kisa didn't have the best sleep last night. From the kitchen, she knew Kisa had fried eggs, buttered toast and milk. She had also done the dishes, but oddly, didn't finish. Or at least that's what she assumed, since she sensed still soapy dishes.

She really ought to pay Kisa for doing all the chores, Tanya mused.

Well, enough dilly-dallying. Time to live through another day.

At her side lay a pile of clothing that Tsunade took some time to gather for Tanya. They had met and spoken few times after the serious exchange they had regarding Kisa and their stay in Konoha. Despite that, relations were still relatively good. Tanya tried to be as polite and civil as she could, and Tsunade tried to be as understanding and reasonable as she could. They even occasionally did each other small favors, but that didn't mean Tanya was willing to spill the beans on anything.

Tanya picked out dark green shorts and a large old green vest with pockets, as well as tying her hair back in its usual high ponytail. She didn't feel like being fashionable, but after she got dressed she felt it still looked damn good on her. Made her look rugged, almost like a punk, actually.

Tanya smiled at the thought, then slowly and deeply frowned, remembering that she wasn't supposed to be enjoying herself while she was here.

She left her room, ducking down her head when going down the stairs to avoid hitting her head on the ceiling. Once at the bottom she bumped her foot on a chair that was out of place. It didn't hurt, but it did make her look at her foot in response.

Tanya paused, taking a good look at her reptilian foot and suddenly feeling very self-conscious. She flexed her foot, her three large talons scraping the hard wooden floor. She averted her gaze to her hand, large, calloused, and with sharp claws.

She looked up at the wall next to her and saw her reflection in the full wall mirror positioned there. Tanya hardly ever got to see her own reflection during her whole life. Tsunade picked her clothes well, but Tanya didn't notice. She only saw her face.

Her face was just as she left it. Her chin, lips, small ears, small nose and large shape of her eyes were the same as when she was born, having grown with her curved and sharply angled face. No, she wasn't looking at those. She was used to those.

Right now she was looking at her green skin, really scales, her hidden razor teeth, and her intense predator-like blood-red eyes with deep black pupils that she could dilate at will.

"…"

Her reflection showed an expression of calm indifference, showing very little of what was underneath.

"…"  
Tanya spat at her reflection, catching her mirrored face right between the eyes.

"Asshole…" With that, Tanya left out the door.

Who the hell was she trying to kid. She didn't look that great at all.  
-

-

Tanya realized her mistake about fifteen minutes after leaving the flat.

She should have had something to eat.

Tanya's powerful stomach gave a massive and almost angry growl. Tanya, for whatever crazy reason, growled back in competition. Needless to say, she was hungry. And whenever she gets hungry, she gets ornery.

She didn't feel like stalking Kisa, neither did she feel like pestering Tsunade, so Tanya had really nothing to do today.

'Well,' Tanya thought, 'remember what Mom said. If you have nothing to do, then you better hurry up and find something.'

Tanya knew very well what she wanted to do. She wanted food, which meant a steady supply of meat. Except she couldn't leave Konoha right now, so that meant finding that steady supply of meat somewhere in Konoha.

Dropping from her point on a rooftop, Tanya landed lightly into an alley below where she could see the streets with people going around doing their daily business.

She grumbled. Time to get friendly with the locals, or die trying.

They better have at least ONE place that serves barbecue.

-

-

A vein twitched in Tanya's forehead, but she held back her growing desire for violence, destruction, and foul language. It's not that she was threatened by anything or anything like that.

No, what really irritated her was that by roaming around in public on the streets she had unintentionally acquired her own personal cult following.

Painfully obvious was a small group of kids ages 10-12 trailing behind her. Tanya guessed that they were ninja-wannabes from their childish yet sincere attempts to be stealthy when following her. As annoying as it was, Tanya did also find it amusing and kinda cute, them just being little kids.

More annoying to Tanya was the not as obvious second group following her from various angles. These were the actual ninja who actually had some degree of stealth, though some didn't even bother. Most were inquisitive and a few just gawked. There was also a healthy amount of suspicion in the older ninjas, but Tanya wasn't carrying anything, she had no sinister motive, and they were in position to do something if Tanya chose to get out of hand. She wasn't worried at all.

But really, was she really that fascinating to look at?

At least the civilians had the sense to simply stare from a distance, or run if she got too close.

"Oh no, my balloons!"

Hmm? Tanya was brought back to reality at the sound of the hurt girl's voice.

Directly ahead of her was a little girl on the verge of crying who couldn't have been older than six. Funny thing was, to Tanya that little girl smelled a lot like the Dog Boy who was with Bug Boy and the shy girl she dubbed the Shrinking Violet. Next to the girl was an older woman, obviously a kunoichi from her overall look, who also smelled like said Dog Boy. The kunoichi leapt into the air and grasped for two balloons that were steadily flying away, one blue and one red. Tanya was able to glimpse the bold letters on the balloons that spelled Happy Birthday.

Now that just sucked, a six-year-old girl losing her birthday balloons. Tanya felt sympathy for the girl and hoped that the older kunoichi could get those balloons.

However, the older kunoichi was only able to grasp the string of the blue balloon, missing the red one. This did little to reassure the six year old who started to bawl.

Tanya glanced left and right at where she knew there were shinobi, starting to feel a little mad. Weren't they going to help or something?

Then again, wasn't it just a balloon?

Tanya glanced once more at the bawling girl who the older kunoichi was trying to comfort and reassure to no avail.

Dammit, it was the kid's birthday balloon!

With her eyes on the red balloon, Tanya crouched down, fingertips just barely touching the ground, her leg muscles almost literally coiled like a spring. Tanya even added chakra to her legs, and then she leapt. She leapt in such a way that most shinobi could not. She flew straight for the red balloon, slowing down right before making contact.

Almost gingerly, Tanya took hold on the string holding the red balloon. Tanya looked down, bracing herself for a landing. Fortunately, everyone under her had the sense to clear the immediate area. Tanya landed upright, bending her knees slightly to avoid injury, kicking up a slight dust cloud and leaving an imprint of her clawed feet in the street. She still had the balloon in her hand.

Looking around, Tanya saw that the people who had been following her and looking at her have formed a small crowd around her, civilian and shinobi alike. They looked on her with small doses of fear, but mainly with newfound awe and respect for her capabilities. A few even clapped.

However, Tanya wasn't paying attention to them, instead singling out the six year old girl and the older kunoichi. Now that she got a good look at them, they really did look like that dog boy. Red markings were on their cheeks, with large canine teeth and slightly slitted and beastly eyes. They must be related. The two of them looked on her with mild apprehension, though the older kunoichi seemed to hold a bit of admiration in her eyes.

Old habits seemed to come over Tanya. Smiling warmly, Tanya crouched down so that she didn't look so tall and gently held out the balloon towards the girl. Gingerly, the six year old stepped towards Tanya. When she finally came close, the girl took the balloon in her hands, looking less afraid and much more happy.

"Happy Birthday, kid."

The kid gave Tanya such a happy and heart-warming face. "Thank you so much, Dinosaur Lady."

Tanya stiffened, feeling a sudden clenching in her chest.

She hadn't heard that nickname out of a child's mouth in years.

Kicking back the emotions as hard as she could, Tanya could only smile back. "Don't lose that balloon again, ya hear?"

The girl gave a firm nod and stepped back next to the older kunoichi. Most of the crowd had dispersed, though the kids in the crowd gave a loud cheer for Tanya.

"Okay, okay, kids, give the Dinosaur Lady her space. Go practice shuriken throwing or something," the kunoichi called out to all the kids, waving her hands back to indicate moving away. Once that was done, she turned back around and looked up at Tanya with a friendly expression, as Tanya was still quite tall in comparison. "Wanna walk with me? I was on my way to drop my niece off at home," she asked, indicating the small girl at her side.

Tanya almost instinctively declined, about to say something rude, but decided against it. The kunoichi was being nice to her, plus she was taking care of the kid. It was best not to cause any trouble.

She really shouldn't be getting comfortable here, but there shouldn't be any harm in just talking to people, right?

Tanya shrugged. "Where's the harm?"

-

-

It was only a short distance before they arrived at the Inuzuka home. It was there that they dropped off the girl, then stepping back to engage in chatter that, very surprisingly, Tanya was willing to engage in.

"I should introduce myself. Hi, my name is Inuzuka Hana. The little squirt you just met is my niece, Inuzuka Rena."

Tanya smiled at the affectionate tone in Hana's voice. "Yeah, cute kid there." She held out a hand. "I'm Tanya. Nice meeting ya," she said, shaking hands with Hana. "Would you be related to a… oh, what's his face… Kiba?"

Hana looked surprised then laughed. "Of course! If you've met Kiba already it must be really obvious that we're related. He's my kid brother," she said, indicating with a raised thumb to herself. "We're of the Inuzuka clan of Konoha."

Tanya snickered. "A doggie clan, eh? Real cute. No offense."

"Eh, none taken." Hana frowned as she looked at Tanya in contemplation.

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You're pretty new here, right?"

"Pfft! Duh."

"Word of you spread really quickly, especially among the shinobi."

"I figured as much. So what?"

Hana gave Tanya a look over, hand holding her chin. "Well, one question came up pretty often." Tanya waited, kind of curious herself. "More than where you came from, we're all wondering if you come from some far away clan or something, because… well… you do look very unique."

Tanya frowned, understanding where she was coming from. In the world there existed a number of shinobi clans who were technically human, but didn't look human. She knew of several, but they were mostly clans from her home, none of which survived to her knowledge. This Inuzuka clan qualified as well, with their obvious canine appearance. There probably were plenty others running around.

Tanya, however, knew that her appearance didn't have anything to do with any clan.

Tanya closed her eyes and gave a small smirk, shaking her head. "Sorry to disappoint, but I don't have a clan. It's like you just said. I'm unique." Tanya didn't feel like elaborating on what exactly that meant. Hana seemed to be pondering on the matter.

"Hmm, I see…" Hana looked inquisitive, and appeared like she wanted to ask the next obvious question, but didn't.

Tanya waved her off, not wanting to deal with any sympathy or pity. "Pfft, don't worry about it, hon. I'm an independent woman, and I've been roughing it this far already." She turned to leave, but was interrupted by Hana.

"Hey listen," Hana scratched her head. "If you need any help or have any questions, I'll be glad to help you out. Word from the Hokage is that you're not an enemy, but most of the shinobi are wary of you anyway. But to me you seem pretty alright. You're great with kids, and I love and respect that. So… if you ever need a friendly ear, come by the Inuzuka home." Hana gave her the thumbs up and flashed her a toothy grin.

Tanya simply gazed at her, impassive, but also surprised. She was used to being on the receiving end of aggression, but she rarely made any real friends. Since the Sundering, she was completely alone, never settling someplace long enough to create ties. She could act as tough and independent as she wanted, but the truth was that Tanya was aware of how much easier it was to live to have reliable friends around.

Tanya didn't even want to stay here. Was it worth it to even make friends when her plan was to eventually ditch Konoha?

Why was she even debating? Was this village making her this soft already?

Her thoughts suddenly flashed to Kisa.

Tanya gave her own grin. "I think I'll take you up on your offer sometime… Seriously, thanks." She turned to leave when a thought suddenly occurred to her, jump-started by a sudden growl in her stomach. Hana heard it and sweat-dropped.

"Say…" Tanya turned back, "since I can ask you, I've been wondering. You know a place where a girl can eat? Preferably meat?" To her surprise, Hana came up with an answer immediately, snapping her fingers.

"I know just the place! There's this really popular barbecue restaurant where they bring the meat to you and you can just cook it yourself on this grill in the middle of the table. Well, the past month, the place was being overhauled and remodeled into a larger and nicer place, and they're even getting a bigger menu. And wouldn't you know it, today is their grand reopening! I'll bet you can satisfy your hunger there."

I highly doubt that, Tanya thought with a laugh. "Awesome! Where's it at?"

Hana smirked and jerked her thumb directly behind her. "About a few hundred meters that way. If your nose is anything like mine, you should have no problems once you get near."

Hana flinched slightly when Tanya leapt clear over her onto the rooftops in pursuit of food. "Thanks a bunch! Cya around!" yelled Tanya as she left. Hana laughed out loud.

"The way you're built, Tanya, I'll bet you can eat a whole cow and burn it all off in a day."

-

-

Tanya very soon arrived at said restaurant. It was easy to spot since there were colorful banners signifying the barbecue restaurant's grand reopening. Curiously, Tanya didn't smell anything resembling a large quantity of meat. Slightly miffed, Tanya came to a halt on the rooftop across from the brand new restaurant, only to see a very hungry and somewhat angry crowd of mostly men gathered around the closed doors and the owners in front of it.

Tanya didn't smell food. She smelled trouble.

"Whaddya mean your shipment's not here!"

"Come on, man, I skipped lunch for this!"

One of the owners, a man nearing old age, waved his hands in front of him desperately, a look of panic in his eyes. "We're very sorry everyone!" The other two owners behind him, both in red hair, confided in each other, also in great panic. "Our entire shipment was due to arrive almost an hour ago, but none of it has arrived! I fear for my men who were supposed to bring it, but please! I'm sure that they will arrive soon!"

"I don't buy it!" yelled a really fat and burly man. People moved aside as he made his way to the front and grabbed the older man by the collar, much to his terror. "How do I know you're not holding back on us, eh?"

Before he could say anything else, the fat burly man yelped in pain as something stuck into his shoulder, making him let go of the older man and step back. The crowd, seeing him yell in sudden pain, stepped back confused. "Who the hell did that? Huh?" He naturally presumed that it was a senbon or even a kunai. Now slightly bleeding from the shoulder, he reached over and picked off something sharp, slick, and small.

Wide-eyed, he stared incredulously at the object that embedded itself in him.

A tooth?

A large thump on the ground made the entire crowd turn around at the disturbance. They all stared bug-eyed at the new arrival.

"What the hell?"

"Whoa… look at her!"

"Damn! Who is she?"

Tanya had decided to intervene, revealing herself to the crowd in all her effeminate reptilian glory. She stood lithely, hands on her hips and looking coolly at the fat burly man. The crowd fell back, scared and intimidated.

Tanya was both annoyed and gleeful. Annoyed because she let herself play the hero again. Gleeful because there was nothing she loved more than making lasting impressions.

Hmm, let's give him strange ideas… make him cringe…

"Hey there, big boy," she narrowed her eyes and licked her lips with her forked tongue, a seductive gesture that looked sickeningly frightening coming out of Tanya who was still taller than the biggest man there. "Now, you weren't seriously going to hurt that old man, were you?" She leaned forward. "I'd be real disappointed if you did…" Tanya let off slight killer intent and gave a wide, malevolent toothy grin at the fat burly man.

There was a visible gap in her mouth that showed off the new tooth that was already growing back into place.

Terrified, the large man cowardly bolted from the area, screaming and crying his eyes out.

Tanya watched him go out of the corner of her eye. There was a heavy silence in the area, palatable fear hanging over the crowd and restaurant owners.

"PFFFFFHAHAHAHAHA! Look at that fat loser run! Yeah, go crying to Mama, Tub-O-Lard! Hey come back, I was even gonna offer you a lay, if only so you could get some fucking exercise! HAHAHAHA! Oh man, watching him sweat was fucking precious! Absolutely precious!"

The crowd stared aghast at the lizard woman, keeled over and teary eyed from laughing at the large man's expense. However, all the tension that came with her arrival was almost shattered. A few of the crowd even laughed themselves.

After getting a few more giggles out of her system, Tanya took a breath and looked over at the owners, giving off a much less scary aura. A grumble from her stomach brought her back to the business at hand. "Damn I'm hungry… But seriously, you sure you got nothing in there, Old Man?"

The owner was still caught up by Tanya's unique features before he regained his senses. He looked affronted. "Hey, don't call me old man!" He wilted. "But yes, what I spoke of is true. My men were suppose to arrive almost hour ago with the coolers and practically our entire stock of food, which we were going to use and sell for our grand reopening."

"Hmph, you need to get more reliable men." A few men there grumbled in agreement. The old man looked appalled.

"You're wrong! Those men are distant family who have worked in the business under me for over 6 years, and they have never been this late for something so important and vital to our business." He grabbed his head in frustration. "I just don't understand…"

Tanya thought about it. If they've been reliable up to this point… "Maybe they ran into trouble…?" Tanya thought aloud.

The owners and some of the crowd started to look worried, agreeing with Tanya's logic. Tanya looked at them in surprise, wondering how it was this random crowd of people suddenly seemed to accept Tanya into this particular fold. It's not like she was normal, or that they had anything in common.

Wait a minute. Of course they all had something in common! They all wanted to eat, damnit!

Someone piped up suddenly, "Hey, where is that shipment supposed to come through?"

"The road that starts heading southeast from Konoha, the one that runs through the forest by the lake, why?"

"Hey wait a minute! Wasn't there a new gang of bandits hanging out in that territory?"

The old man turned pale. "Oh no! My men might seriously be hurt!"

Tanya frowned. Bandit's, eh? She had run into plenty in her time, no problem. Still, they had too easy a time picking on random civilians who couldn't defend themselves.

"Hey, what's your name, miss?" one of the red-haired owners asked.

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "Tanya."

He grinned, but there was pleading in his eyes. "Well, Tanya, why don't you go and check it out for us?"

"…Eh?"

"Please, I know this hasn't gone through the office, but we don't have time!"

"That's right!" yelled the other owner. "We'll even pay you the amount for a C-Class, ah what the hell a _B-Class mission_, if you can please go and see what happened to our shipment!"

Office? B-Class mission? Tanya backed up slightly. "Waitwaitwait, what? The hell are you all talking about?" She didn't like where this was going.

"Please," old man begged. "As a shinobi of Konoha, will you please accept this mission for all of us?"

Tanya blinked, the old man's words not quite registering yet in her head.

Then she got it.

"HOLD IT!" Tanya nearly shrieked, frightening all those near. Her, a _Konoha__shinobi_, a _ninja_? She knew she could kick some serious ass if she wanted to, but damnit! She didn't want to be or even look like one, and now everyone here thought she was one? She barely did anything at all!

Tanya glared at the old man, indignant and angry but also confused. "Look, I know you must think I'm awesome and all that, but what gives you the idea that I'm even a ninja!"

At that, everyone just blinked at her in confusion. One of the men spoke up, "But you're wearing Konoha's Jounin vest, aren't you? Then you really must be a ninja."

Tanya's brain seemed to freeze for a moment as her eyes slowly and painfully fell on the large and relatively old green vest she chose to wear that morning. She stared at it real hard for what seemed like a long time.

"Tsunade…" Tanya hissed through clenched teeth. Tsunade, the Hokage, the old hag, knowingly or not, had slipped in the old Jounin vest into her charity wardrobe.

Part of the reason why the crowd seemed to be fine with her must be because she was wearing the village's vest.

For a moment Tanya visualized an evil cackling Tsunade in the background, and she shook an imaginary fist at her crying, 'You planned this, didn't you!'

The crowd before her didn't hear her hiss, but only looked at her expectantly and with hope. They sensed her reluctance, and some even had the sense to see that she really didn't want to do it, but they still tried to persuade her.

"Hey, come on, we're counting on you!"

"Yeah, you're the only one here who can, Tanya!"

"Please, we're all hungry here, even you!"

"Year-round discount!"

Everyone turned their surprised gazes at the old man, especially Tanya.

The owner gave a firm, confident nod. "On top of mission payment, you'll get a discount all year round, and your own table!"

A random guy interrupted, "Hey, old man! Throw a free meal for her in there, too!"

"Free complimentary meal!"

Tanya's eye twitched, her mouth slightly hanging open, in the face of the hungry and desperate crowd and all the offers and pressure thrown at her. She was more exasperated than angry at this point.

Goddamnit…

-

-

"Come on, you guys, we're already late!" Chouji, unsurprisingly, was in very much a hurry to get to the grand reopening of his favorite barbecue place.

"Oh shut up, Chouji, and don't rush me!" Ino snipped, a little angry that she was practically being dragged along away from doing her hair.

Shikamaru was coming along more willingly, but not by that much, having been interrupted from his cloud gazing. "You know… it's quite likely that the place is packed by now. There's little chance of us getting any seating before nightfall."

"Hmph, then we wait! I'm going to have barbecue tonight!"

Shikamaru gave a sigh, but in truth, had no problem with Chouji. It was just the fact that he'd most likely be paying for most of the check. Momentarily he looked up at the receding clouds…

…And was brought back to reality right before the sudden thump, the sudden lack of sun, and Ino's sudden shriek of terror. Shinobi instincts kicked in and Shikamaru took a good look at the threat.

He felt very sorry he did.

"T-T-Tanya! What do you want?" Ino sputtered out, pointing directly at her. Ino seemed to recognize her from a previous encounter.

A large woman in vest and shorts had landed right within a few feet of them, clawed hands on her hips, blocking the view of the sun and casting a shadow over Team 10. The sun coming in behind her darkened her features and made her look very menacing. A mirthful, yet deadly gleam shone from her red eyes and a toothy sadistic grin slowly formed on her face.

All Shikamaru could think was, 'How troublesome… how very, very, _very_ troublesome…'

Tanya looked very pleased, the happy face she was giving Ino radiating sinister evil.

"Congratulations, Blondie! You and two lucky friends have been randomly selected for a draft!"

Shikamaru had a slight and very distant hope. "…You're talking about two other friends, right?"

In a blur and without further word, Tanya snatched up all three of Team 10 and began racing over Konoha on the rooftops.

Tanya was carrying Ino and Shikamaru under one arm, Chouji under the other.

Team 10 was quite out of sorts. Ino was yelling in indignation to being stuffed in with Shikamaru. Shikamaru was just muttering dark things about women in general. And Chouji was practically traumatized that he had been snatched away from his precious grand reopening.

"Where are you taking us?" Shikamaru tried to calmly ask.

"Can't talk. Wanna finish quick. Shut up."

So much for that, he thought. He really didn't feel like being kidnapped by some giant dinosaur woman today.

Up ahead, Shikamaru spotted hope. Two Anbu had come out of hiding and had appeared right before Tanya, stances defensive and at ready as Tanya rapidly approached them without any effort to move out of the way. Because Tanya was to be treated as a guest to Konoha, the Anbu initially went with reasoning rather than with force. It was a bad judgment call on their part.

"Halt, Tanya! You have not been-GUOOOOK-uuuuooooo…."

Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji stared bug-eyed at the painful and brutal sight that made them cringe and shudder in unconscious sympathy, even Ino.

Tanya had simply extended and kicked out her leg with lightning speed, kicking and catching _both_ Anbu right in the crotches.

For a second the Anbu simply hung there on Tanya's leg, practically brain dead. "Outta the way!" yelled Tanya as she simply flung them off to the side with the same leg. Very soon afterwards they had scaled and leapt clear over the walls of the village.

The four of them disappeared into the forest.

"BUT WHAT ABOUT MY BARBECUE…?" was Chouji's lingering, fading cry.

-

-

An hour later, few of the crowd had left elsewhere, but the huge majority of the hungry crowd, which grew larger as more people came, had simply loitered around, very restless and very hungry. They've been given promises and assurances, having the situation explained to them, but that didn't stop some of them from grumbling complaints. The owners, especially the old man, were growing more worried.

And then, a miracle.

"Look! She's back! They've come back with the shipment!"

As one everyone turned to the pointed direction, and gave a collective cheer for the long awaited arrivals.

A small handful of young men came, drawing or dragging a few stuffed carts and heavy packages, and they happily waved at owners. They beamed happily and proudly at the shinobi who had come to aid them and help bring the shipment home.

As very abrupt and troublesome as the mission was, Team 10 was now generally pleased with themselves, Tanya giving them the rundown of the situation _after_ they saved the men from the large gang of bandits. They were all slightly roughed up, but had no serious injuries. Chouji looked the most rundown but was also the most energetic and happy of the three. Already, he was helping himself to some of the pre-cooked consumables with a huge grin on his face.

However, most prominent among the group was Tanya, who looked the worse for wear but stood the tallest and looked the most pleased with herself, walking proudly and carrying on her powerful shoulders and arms the most prized parcel of the entire shipment, a whole fattened bison.

"Yo, Old Man!" Tanya gave a sly grin. "You can give the mission payment to these three kids here. Let me have a slab off of this critter and we'll call it even."

-

-

"Sounds like there's a party going on in there."

"Sigh… I just hope my team was able to get a good table."

"Come, my friends! TO GOOD EATING!"

The day was almost at an end, and Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai (Kakashi was late and absent) stood outside the refurbished and brightly lit barbecue restaurant, music, chatter and cheers audible from within. That came as no surprise. What did come as a surprise was the immediate sight that greeted them once they walked in.

The restaurant was packed, that much wasn't odd. What was odd was that quite a bit of attention and focus lay on one of the larger tables where Team 10 and Tanya sat, and to their further surprise they were sitting together.

Under cheers and bets, Tanya was arm-wrestling five civilian men at once. Next to her rested what looked like an eaten and decimated chunk of some large animal. One of the denizens cheering for Tanya happened to be Ino, who seemed to have recently tied her hair up in a stylish way with chopsticks. Shikamaru watched it all with a detached expression. Chouji was happily chowing down on a pile of barbecue in front of him, from which Tanya would occasionally pluck something from to eat, but oddly, Chouji didn't seem to mind.

The jounins noted with even more surprise that Tanya was wearing Konoha's Jounin vest.

With one final grunt, Tanya forced the combined might of five men down on the table. Cheers rose all around, most especially from Ino, who was cheering for Tanya from the start. Tanya drank in all the attention, working the crowd with grins and hand gestures.

"MY TURN!"

Gai had somehow magically disappeared from next to the jounins to right in front of Tanya at the barbecue table in his Nice-Guy pose, much to her bewilderment and revulsion. The feeling was mutually shared by much of the men and Team 10 who were present. Ino and Shikamaru cringed, while Chouji had paused in his eating. The jounins were too late to stop him. Boldly, Gai flung a proud finger towards Tanya's face.

"I, Maito Gai, the Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha, challenge you to a contest of Arm-wrestling! If I lose, I must either run 1000 laps around the walls of Konoha or surrender my title of Beautiful Green Beast!"

Asuma cringed and held his hand to his face, and Kurenai felt pretty much the same, feeling sympathy for Tanya that she had to be the center of Gai's focus.

Those nearby looked to Tanya for her response. Tanya herself was very out of sorts, confused, disturbed, insulted, and rather blinded. How did he get his teeth so white, and what the hell was up with his eyebrows! She turned to Ino and voiced the only coherent thought in her head.

"Is this guy for real?"

Team 10 solemnly nodded. Tanya turned back towards the freak. Beautiful Green Beast, eh…?

Tanya shrugged. Where's the harm? "Alright, you're on, Super-Brows." She rested her elbow and raised her hand.

"Yosh!" Gai plopped down onto the free seat across from her and did the same, gripping Tanya's hand with surprisingly powerful force. Tanya raised a nervous eyebrow at this. He may very well be strong enough to beat her.

"Kay… Ready. Set. Go!"

The table visibly trembled from the opposing forces of strength on top. This excited all those present, encouraging the men to start placing bets. The present shinobi noted on how the bets were going either way, since much of them were familiar with Maito Gai the taijutsu specialist, but some of them believed Tanya would still win and betted on her. She seemed quite popular among the restaurant patrons.

The amount of effort and exertion put into the contest was evident on both Gai's and Tanya's faces, and so far neither of them looked like they were going to give. Gai had not yet broken a sweat, but he was doing his best not to lose as he forced more power in his already powerful arm. Tanya was also trying damn hard not to lose, either. Snarls emitted between her teeth as she continued applying more strength into her arm.

"Gai's gonna win," Asuma absently said, eyeing the two contestants.

Kurenai started, but didn't look away from the two. "What makes you think that?"

"Gai is very strong and conditioned, and the stress is starting to show on her. She's gonna have to give in."

Kurenai did notice this, but still smiled. "No… I have a feeling she'll still win this."

Tanya said and revealed nothing on her face. She didn't know about Gai, but in truth she knew that her arm was going to give sooner or later. She started to feel some mild panic from a severe want of not wanting to lose to the man that she decided to dub Jolly Green. Her pride and image was at stake, damnit!

Think fast, Tanya, she mentally snarled. She took a good look at the freaky man before her, trying his best like she was and looking very proud and pleased in himself.

She grinned in response. "Tell me, from what can of veggies did you jump out of?"

"Hehe," Gai grunted, "I can tell that you're trying to throw me off with insults, but such can never discourage me away from my source of strength, the Springtime of Youth!"

Good lord… Tanya would smack herself if she could. "Well…" she grunted, "This Springtime of Youth sure seems powerful. I gotta say, you're one strong and persistent bastard." Moment of truth. "You sure you don't want to forfeit?" she sneered.

"Never! But perhaps it is you who should save face and surrender!"

Tanya rolled her eyes. "Pfft, fat chance, Jolly Green! If you think for one moment that I'll-" Tanya looked bug-eyed over Gai's right shoulder, her falsified expression one of horrified disbelief. "Holy crap, that guy has your _exact same haircut and matching eyebrows_!"

Gai's head spun in surprised joy. "LEE?" But, shockingly, there really was no Rock Lee, or anyone with his matching hair and eyebrows.

SLAM! The table nearly cracked and split.

"WIIIIIIIINEEER! You all saw it!" Tanya cheered, hands clasped over her in victory. The people around her cheered.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO…!" wailed Gai dramatically. Shikamaru was next to him and he cringed from the noise, while Ino was helplessly laughing at Gai's expense. "Such an underhanded technique!" Gai leapt onto the table, dramatically pointing at Tanya's face, waterfall tears falling. "Your strength may equal mine, and you may have the same devious mind as my eternal rival, Hatake Kakashi, but I will never surrender the title of Beautiful Green Beast! I shall now run 1000 laps around Konoha, and soon we shall meet again, for you too are now my rival!" And with that, Gai poofed into nothing.

Tanya blinked in the stunned silence that followed. Tanya groaned almost exaggeratingly. Team 10 and the jounins felt sympathy for her. "He really means that, doesn't he? I'm gonna see him again, aren't I?"

POOF! The shinobi looked up at behind Tanya in surprise.

"He really isn't that bad. Just ignore him, and slowly he'll start growing on you," an ominous and familiar voice chuckled behind Tanya, who stiffened, then slowly trembled in indignant rage. Team 10 felt her unintended killer intent and tried to back away.

Tanya snarled, "I know that laugh…" Slowly she turned her head to peer behind her, her claws extending on impulse.

It was that white-haired, one-eyed, pervert of a ninja, Kakashi!

Kakashi looked quite happy with something, his visible eye crinkling upward as he resumed chuckling. Tanya twitched just from seeing that.

"What the hell are you so smug about, pervert!" She yelled at him. Team 10, Asuma, and Kurenai watched in rapt fascination.

Kakashi finally looked at Tanya, still looking pleased. He crossed his arms before speaking.

"Word on the street is you've been doing good deeds, Tanya," Kakashi said as if he were so happy and proud.

Tanya blanched, compelling Kakashi to chuckle further.

"I have to say, Tanya, that even with my expectations, I am so proud to see you being such an upstanding citizen and role model for the village. It must be because of my positive influence-

POOF!

Kakashi's kage bushin poofed away as it took a pound of meat to the face at high velocity.

Kakashi reappeared in the seat that Gai had just occupied for the arm-wrestling. Tanya settled for glowering at him, knowing that attacking him further would be too pointless and immature even for her. She glared even harder when he took out the orange book of porn.

"Say, you guys," Kakashi asked Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji. "Mind if us jounin instructors sit here to eat?" Asuma and Kurenai finally came near, making themselves known to the table.

Shikamaru shrugged. "We were pretty much done."

Tanya glared at Kakashi. "You know, this is suppose to be _my_ table."

Ino waved to Asuma and Kurenai. "Hey, what do you think of my hairdo?"

Kurenai smiled at her, "It looks very nice, Ino. That's a very impressive style. Where did you learn it?" Even Asuma agreed it looked good. Ino had her hair tied up with chopsticks, nothing flamboyant or exquisite, but it came together to form a quiet, subtle beauty. It vaguely reminded Kurenai of some kind of flower.

"Oh, I didn't do this," Ino remarked, surprising the jounins. Ino looked slightly miffed as she thought back to the day. "I _was_ going to do my hair this afternoon, but Chouji insisted I come along immediately for the grand reopening. Instead, Tanya did it for me. Isn't she awesome with hair?" Ino asked brightly.

Now the jounins were really surprised. Tanya looked away as if embarrassed and not wanting to take any credit.

"Something else I wanted to say," Ino said loudly, pointing to Asuma. "Why can't you be as cool and kickass as Tanya, Asuma-sensei?"

"Eh?" Asuma was quite taken aback and mildly offended. Kurenai and Kakashi looked on with interest. Tanya was being uncharacteristically humble about it.

"Hmph! We hardly do anything, Asuma-sensei, and you're no fun at all, playing shouji all the time with Shikamaru. But guess what! With Tanya we completed a B-Class mission in less than an hour and saved this very barbecue house from going out of business! And she kicked some serious bandit butt!"

Tanya still looked embarrassed, but couldn't help but grin from all the compliments. Frankly, Tanya was quite flattered.

Asuma drooped, feeling rather discouraged that one of his own genin was belittling him and favoring someone else. Sure, he was used to Ino's outbursts and insults, but she never said anything about someone else being better than him.

"You forgot the part where she abducted us without even telling us why." Shikamaru remarked dryly.

"But Shikamaru, look at all the good that came out of it," exclaimed Chouji, still snacking on barbecue. "Not only did we save the restaurant workers and save a business, but we also got great seating and discount food. And think of all the time we saved that would have been wasted on paperwork."

Tanya scoffed. "Seriously… what's with all the paperwork I see going on in this place?" Tanya was specifically thinking of the few times she paid Tsunade a visit, only to see her half buried behind piles of paperwork. Her visits did the Hokage good as a temporary respite and means to relieve stress with casual chatter. Sure, Tanya understood the need for records and notes, but the amount of work she saw Tsunade doing (most of which was handed off to Shizune anyway) was ridiculous.

Tanya once idly made a comment that she should just burn the whole thing in one big fire jutsu. Tsunade was very tempted to do so.

"Well, there's more to keep track of than missions, Tanya," Kakashi casually replied. "We're as much a small city and bureaucracy as we are a community of ninja."

"Pfft… I'm sure." Tanya went back to half ignoring the present jounin.

Chouji took one more bite and swallowed. "But don't worry Asuma-sensei. You're still my favorite jounin."

Asuma comically sniffed. "I'm glad someone still has faith in me."

"Still, Asuma, must be embarrassing, being one-upped by someone who's technically not even a jounin… er, no offense, Tanya." Kurenai wasn't sure how Tanya would feel with interacting with her again, considering how they first met.

Tanya's eyes glanced sideways to meet Kurenai's. She simply shrugged. "None taken, Sight-For-Sore-Eyes. No hard feelings, by the way." Kurenai was relieved, not wanting to stay on bad terms with Tanya. But really, Tanya could really care less.

"Speaking of not being a jounin…" Kurenai raised a brow as she said, "Why are you wearing our vest?"

Tanya twitched in anger, making Kakashi chuckle in amusement once again. "It was an accident, damnit!" Tanya snarled. "I didn't mean to go out walking around looking like a jounin…" she grumbled.

Ino, being a fan of Tanya, cried, "But Tanya, you'd be a great jounin! We need more powerful kunoichi, damnit!" Ino slammed a fist on the table, conviction burning in her eyes. "You could easily kick the asses of most of the shinobi here! Look at how easily you took down those two Anbu… at once!"

Shikamaru and Chouji definitely remembered, and shuddered. Immediately, Asuma and Kurenai nearly spewed the water they had just started sipping. "Waitwaitwait, THAT WAS YOU?" Kurenai stared bug-eyed at Tanya while Asuma simply cringe in phantom pain from the memory of seeing the Anbu coming in.

Tanya raised an eyebrow and began snickering. "Aww… I didn't hurt those two _that_ badly, did I…?"

Kurenai wasn't sure whether to be angry or amused. "Tanya… you hospitalized those Anbu! They're going to be wearing diapers for weeks!"

Tanya burst out laughing, trying her best to contain it to no avail, while Ino joined in. Asuma half-grunted, half-whimpered, "It's not funny…"

Shikamaru shook his head at the scene. "How troublesome…"

Kakashi stole a glance at Tanya who, despite trying to show annoyance, had her mouth turned up in an amused grin.

-

-

The night went on and the hours went by. For those who came for the grand reopening of the barbecue restaurant, it was a night to remember. But like all things, the night had to eventually end.

The restaurant was kept open well past the normal closing time, and by now there were only a few patrons left.

At Tanya's own table sat Tanya and Kakashi, who had chosen to remain. The rest of the shinobi had left a while ago after saying their goodbyes. Once they and much of the patrons had left, Tanya went uncharacteristically quiet.

Kakashi noted on how very pensive and thoughtful Tanya appeared to him. Some might find it a refreshing change to see her quiet down, but it mildly bothered Kakashi to see Tanya looking so uneasy. In Tanya's mind, she did feel uneasy, and somewhat bothered with the possibilities that ran through her head.

Kakashi coughed, thinking that he should say something. Tanya looked up at him, not threateningly, but expectant. Emboldened by the lack of aggression on her part, Kakashi took a stab.

"You know… jokes and catches aside… would staying in Konoha really be that bad?"

Tanya instinctively prepared to throw an insult, but found that she didn't have the energy or the flamboyant confidence for it. With all the excitement of the day past and over with, her mind was now in a rare tired and serious mood.

"…Guess not," she said while looking off to the side out a window. To her annoyance, she felt Kakashi still looking at her, as if expecting her to say more. She gave back a mild glare. "Okay, so most of the stuff around here isn't that bad. It doesn't matter."

Kakashi crossed his arms, not entirely convinced that's how she felt. To Tanya's surprise, he gave a light grin. "Fun times, no?"

Tanya's eyes narrowed at that grin and her teeth grinded slightly, but there was no threat to it, no venom in her eyes. After blinking some, she turned her head away, eyes closed.

"The best time I've had in years, Kakashi…" Tanya said quietly, as if only to herself. For the past several hours, it felt as though she actually belonged, but she wasn't going to say that.

Looking back at him, she saw that there was no mockery in Kakashi's gaze, and that he was taking her quite seriously. She really hated talking about the things she felt, but her voice of reason knew that this would be the best time to get words out to someone who'd listen.

"I… I like Konoha…" Tanya grinned slightly, "I know that if ever get the urge to settle down and be tied to a home I'd want it to be like Konoha." She frowned, and then shook her head. "But still, it doesn't matter…"

"…Well, if you like being here, I think it matters plenty." Kakashi took another stab. "Not that I know anything, but being here must certainly be better than being back where you were, or being on the run all the time."

Tanya said nothing to that. Kakashi continued.

"Afterall, that's what the life of the typical missing-nin is like, and it's a pretty miserable existence, to always be on the run, or even hunted."

Still she said nothing, and Kakashi decided to take the conversation to another turn.

"What do you have against shinobi, anyway?"

That clearly caught her attention, as there was now a warning look in Tanya's attentive gaze.

"I'm sure you have plenty against individual shinobi in question, myself included," he added with a grin, "but your vendetta seems to simply be against the very concept of shinobi in general. I'm curious as to why."

Tanya struggled to get something out. "It's… I just have issues, okay? Personal issues, let's just leave it at that."

Kakashi shrugged. "I suppose… now care to tell me what's wrong with being one?"

That's kinda the same question, Tanya mused in irritation. She best give him some decent answers, or else he'll never leave her alone. She scratched her head. "It's the rules..."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, and Tanya elaborated. "It's all those rules and responsibilities, being tied down to orders, and the forced and stiff loyalty that comes with that pushes everything else aside." Tanya gave a cold look. "I know what I'm talking about. I grew up in a dominantly ninja community, and I was even a ninja myself, for a time. And from that I know, that if Tsunade, your Hokage, ever felt that Kisa or I needed to be disposed of, then she would give the order, and ninja like you wouldn't hesitate to do so."

Tanya continued, "Shinobi are tools, on beck and call of not-so-higher powers, sent to capture, kill, fight wars, and even die simply by word of mouth and scroll. I'm sorry, Kakashi, but if I'm gonna die, I wanna die for something that actually matters to me, not for some backwater village or some oldie wearing a funny hat."

Kakashi looked at her wide-eyed and speechless. Tanya meant those words, she really did, and Kakashi couldn't help but notice how her speech seemed to echo those that other shinobi he knew had voiced in the past.

He scratched his head. "It's pretty hard to argue against that." He looked at her attentively. "So you did have the training?"

Tanya nodded. "Yeah, I was a kunoichi a long time ago. Bad shit went down, and I dropped the job." There was obviously much more to it than that, but that's all she was willing to say.

Kakashi tilted his head. "You dropped the title, certainly, but you've developed your skills to a surprising degree, with the potential to go even higher. It's like Ino herself said. You're pretty kickass." He grinned.

Tanya chuckled. Even coming out of Kakashi, the one-eyed pervert who still had a flawless victory over her, it sounded like a genuine compliment. "Seriously, Kakashi, I suck. Anyone around here could kick my ass so long as they pay attention and don't fool around."

"I'm being completely serious, Tanya," Kakashi stated as if he was. "I've been a jounin and Anbu captain for a while." Tanya looked mildly and genuinely impressed to hear that he was once an Anbu captain. "All you'd need is a little more formal training and you'd deserve every part of that jounin vest you so unintentionally put on."

Tanya scoffed and looked away and said, "You're all either trying to spoil me or you've got some pretty low standards around here." She paused, then glanced back inquiring, "You really think so?"

In Kakashi's opinion and overall assessment of Tanya's performances, Tanya was decently powerful in her own right, with the potential to become even more so. "Well, I would like to think that I'm right."

Tanya laughed a bit. "Haven't you heard a word I said about ninja, you prick?" she said, not entirely serious.

Kakashi smiled and shrugged. "It was never ours, or Tsunade-sama's, intention to kill you or force you into one of our shinobi, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to at least formalize your rank, and to have you at least recognized as a jounin in case you ever wanted to pull rank on someone or be taken seriously by foreigners."

Tanya chuckled, but did give the idea thought. Despite her consistent violent streak, she actually liked the idea of pulling rank on shinobi rather than beat authority into them every time.

"Besides, everything you said about shinobi is true, but it just so happens that a lot of shinobi here look at it and see it as displeasing the same way you do, particularly the younger ones. And you know what? They're still shinobi, because they're all loyal to each other, and they want to fight for and protect each other and those who matter to them, who just so happen to be in Konoha." Kakashi tilted his head. "Doesn't sound like too bad a deal, does it?"

Tanya twisted her lip and mused. "Maybe."

Kakashi closed his eyes and gave her a wise and sagely nod. "I can also tell you that there is much merit and honor to being a jounin in any village, namely the opportunity and privilege to teach and care for a three-member team of angsty adolescents until they're promoted."

Kakashi ducked underneath the backhand smack that was thrown his way. "Not funny, Kakashi!" Tanya snarled, but with a grin. Kakashi chuckled in response. She frowned. "Besides, wouldn't there be a lot of people who would object to me being around longer than I have to?"

"You mean the Anbu you so brazenly sent to medical?" Kakashi lazily asked. Tanya snickered. Kakashi went on, "Well, truthfully, shinobi and citizens alike, we're all human here, and human beings anywhere tend to be a discriminating lot, especially to unique strangers." Tanya sobered up at that statement, knowing it to be true and not liking it. Kakashi scratched his head. "But you know, I can't say whether Konoha in general likes you or not, but by now you seem to have acquired quite a fan base, and from those who are not there is a certain degree of unique admiration sent your way."

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "Unique admiration…? Isn't that just a nice way of saying healthy fear for the red-eyed green skinned monster roaming about?"

Kakashi blinked, not missing the irony in that statement, nor the fact that Tanya didn't sound bitter, only accepting. He looked up at the ceiling in thought. "Well… not exactly. Honestly, you have the shock value, but you're not exactly seen as much of a typical monster anymore. Mmm… really, they tend to treat your appearance as…"

"As…?"

"Hmm, shall we say… exotic?"

Tanya's face fell in disbelief, which turned into incredulous laughter. "I _really_ hope you _weren't_ being serious and were just trying to get fresh with me, you pirate!"

Kakashi gave her an innocent look. "Now whatever would give you that idea, Tanya?"

Tanya crossed her arms and landed on him a disbelieving and condescending gaze. "You walk around with porn in your pocket."

Kakashi scratched behind his head, giving a nervous chuckle.

Tanya paused. "Is it any good?"

Kakashi froze, not sure if he heard right. "What?"

"I'm asking you is it any good?"

Kakashi blinked. No one besides the author Jiraiya himself had ever asked him that question regarding Icha Icha Paradise.

Tanya glared. "Are you that dense? Gimme!" She extended a clawed hand.

Kakashi, too surprised to feel his usual overprotectiveness of his Icha Icha book collection, handed over the issue he was carrying around that day. Tanya grasped it reasonably gently and flipped it open to read, starting from page one.

Watching her read, and thinking back to the past several days and today, Kakashi couldn't help but feel happy and pleased being around Tanya. Such a powerful and new personality to arrive in Konoha. As with Tsunade, Kakashi somehow found Tanya to be very refreshing company.

And truthfully, as with Tsunade, Tanya felt the same, but she would never tell Kakashi that. He had enough of an inflated head as it was.

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "Say, Kakashi, by any chance do you have your own team of these so-called adolescents?"

"Why, yes, yes I do. Why do you ask?"

Tanya slyly grinned while reading. "I gotta say, this is actually some pretty good shit," She turned a page, "but I'm gonna hurt you if you actually read this stuff to your kids."

Kakashi looked away. "Now why would I do a thing like that?"

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The owners didn't mind having Tanya and Kakashi stay longer than they had to, still feeling very grateful towards Tanya. The two of them finally stepped out once Tanya had finished reading Kakashi's current volume of Icha Icha Paradise, which Tanya admitted actually had a very good story, as well as a tasteful amount of visually pleasing adult activity.

However, just before they were going to part ways, both of them felt a presence rapidly approaching them. Tanya looked alarmed and ready to defend herself, but Kakashi told her to relax, knowing exactly whom it was.

Quickly and almost comically, Uzumaki Naruto rounded around a street corner heading right for Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei! I was looking for you all day, damnit! I gotta- WHA?" Naruto skidded to a halt in front of them, now getting a good look at Tanya who he hadn't met yet. Kakashi was surprised, yet pleased, since he had gotten the evil idea of pitting Tanya against his team in sparring matches, and for that, he would have to introduce her first.

Naruto, wide-eyed, pointed upwards at Tanya in disbelief. "Gah! Sakura-chan told me about you! Who the hell are you?"

Tanya had her hands on her hips, vaguely annoyed yet humored by the blonde's antics. "Hey! You're talking to a lady here! Didn't anyone teach you manners, Shorty?"

"Hey! I've been growing! Say that again and I'm gonna kick your ass!" Naruto yelled, shaking an angry fist.

Tanya raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Oh ho! Is that a challenge I hear? I usually don't start on appetizers, you know." Tanya just laughed at Naruto's tantrum.

Kakashi grinned, expecting this kind of loud exchange between Tanya and Naruto, considering their personalities and attitudes.

However, what happened next, Kakashi didn't expect at all.

Nothing could have prepared him, or Naruto, for the event that would chill them from that day on.

Tanya's laughter abruptly died as she froze in place, throwing off both Naruto and Kakashi and making them look at her in worry. Tanya's expression was one of genuine disbelief and shock. Her large blood red eyes dilated and stared piercingly and very intensely at Naruto.

Horrified realization came over Kakashi and Naruto. No, Tanya wasn't staring at _Naruto_.

She was staring at his _stomach_, where the Yondaime had sealed the Kyuubi away inside him.

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**Author's Notes**: The evil cliffhanger was too good to pass up. Be sure to review!


	18. Secrets of Demons and the Yondaime

**Author's Notes**: Sorry if I'm annoying people with the long waits, but the fic really is progressing. Author notes and a number of character notes will be at the bottom. So please enjoy this shocking chapter.

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Recap:

_Tanya's laughter abruptly died as she froze in place, throwing off both Naruto and Kakashi and making them look at her in worry. Tanya's expression was one of genuine disbelief and shock. Her large blood red eyes dilated and stared piercingly and very intensely at Naruto._

_Horrified realization came over Kakashi and Naruto. No, Tanya wasn't staring at Naruto._

_She was staring at his stomach, where the Yondaime had sealed the Kyuubi away inside him._

-

Before any of them could say anything, Kakashi grabbed both Naruto and Tanya, transporting them all in a poof of smoke to someplace high up on the rooftops where no one could overhear what they say.

On the roof, Tanya lashed out of Kakashi's grasp and backed away. "Let go of me!" she yelled, breathing heavily as she looked intently from Kakashi to Naruto and back, almost like a panicked prey animal, a stark contrast to Tanya's personality in general.

Naruto was frozen, a seemingly real darkness overpowering his spirit as he grew more apprehensive of what Tanya was thinking and what she was going to say or do, because she _knew_. Some stranger he never met knew about Kyuubi, _saw_ Kyuubi, just by looking at him!

"Tanya, what did you see?" Kakashi asked very seriously, though he knew full well what she saw.

Still breathing hard and slightly panicky, Tanya glared hard at Kakashi. "What did I see? _What did I see?_ Why don't _you_ fucking tell _me_! _What the fuck_ is a demon doing sitting in that boy's stomach! What the hell kind of twisted idea of your village is this, huh?"

Kakashi and Naruto were both taken aback and very surprised. They couldn't tell, but it almost sounded as if…

Tanya gave Naruto a quick look of concern and worry before shooting Kakashi another angry glare. "You don't have a clue what you did, do you? What's he supposed to be, a _pet weapon_? Do any of you have any idea of the possible long-term consequences that boy would have to suffer from the forced implantation of a high chakra being? What, did one of you sick bastards get the fun idea of using a demon like a _toy_? _For what fucking greater good did you people decide to sacrifice not only the demon but the boy, too?_ JEEZ…!" Tanya grinded her teeth and grasped her head in disbelief.

Kakashi was struck speechless, her words not making any sense to him at all. And Tanya was acting very out of character, as he knew her. She was panicked, but she was using more proper language than her norm, and saying a lot more than she normally did.

Naruto stared at her in a state of shock, not believing what he was hearing. She knew of the demon, but she wasn't condemning him? No, she sounded like she really cared what happened to him!

Tanya shot a sudden glare at Naruto. "When? How long, kid? Answer me!"

Naruto stuttered, an alien action on his part coming from him feeling very unsure of the situation. "Uh… since I was an infant…?"

Tanya looked sick. "Unbelievable… absolutely fucking unbelievable." She looked at Naruto long and hard, looking at how he was looking at her, how he stood, and how he looked scared and disbelieving of the things she said and asked. Forcing herself to calm down, organizing her thoughts and taking a not so blind guess, her expression softened considerably.

"Folks around here don't treat you too well, do they?"

With that simple question, Naruto was hit with a sudden and unexpected feeling inside him that made him want to cry. Tanya saw this and took it as the only answer she needed.

Kakashi was shocked at how she was able to gleam that, and he felt amazed, even moved, his admiration and appreciation for Tanya going up exponentially.

It's typical for someone who's informed of the Kyuubi inside Naruto to generally side with the village and condemn the demon and Naruto. But Tanya did the exact opposite. It may be because she has no ties to Konoha, but Tanya, in sharp contrast, sided and sympathized with _Naruto_ and turned to condemn the _village_.

It was, really, all Naruto ever wanted to hear from someone for his situation. Sympathy. And it was the one thing that Naruto knew he wouldn't get from almost everyone in the village.

However, what really, really bothered Kakashi was the powerful gut feeling he had that Tanya, someone who was completely ignorant of Konoha, ninja villages and the ninja countries in general, seemed to have much more insights into the situation of the Kyuubi than anyone else.

Tanya gave a heavy sigh. "Man… this is driving me nuts…" She sat down hard on the roof, crossed her legs and looked at the two shinobi. "Explain. Now."

Kakashi and Naruto exchanged glances. "Do you want to give her the history lesson, Naruto, or should I?" Naruto knew what had to be explained.

Tanya held up a hand. "Wait, hold on a minute…" Their attention turned to her.  
"First, is this demon old enough to even have a name?"

Kakashi was very puzzled. "Why wouldn't he have a name?"

Tanya's face darkened a bit. "Oh right… not everyone knows that…" Under normal conditions Tanya would say nothing, but this situation had her so shaken that she couldn't help but not think. She looked up at Kakashi. "It's not common knowledge, but demons don't have names until a certain age, maybe not until after a century or three. Pfft, not that it matters since mortals rarely ever meet young demons."

Kakashi just stared at her. He didn't think _anyone_ knew that little fact.

Naruto started. "He's got a name! But when you saw me… I thought you knew him!"

Tanya looked annoyed and impatient. "I can tell he's there… but do _you_ see a nametag sticking out of you anywhere?"

Naruto blinked, then couldn't help but laugh a tiny bit at the joke. Naruto spoke, "Yeah, no nametag here. His name is Kyuubi."

Kakashi was paying very extra attention to Tanya, her words, posture, attitude, and responses like the elite Anbu captain he once was, just so that he could gleam as much information as his now franticly curious mind could. So that's how he could easily tell that Tanya somehow knew the Kyuubi.

Tanya's body posture and breathing didn't change, but one eyebrow slowly rose in response to the name.

"Kyuubi…?" Tanya calmly and quizzically asked, "…As in Mr. Fluffy Nine Tailed Demon Fox How-May-I-Serve-You-My Lord In Need of Anger Management _Kyuubi_…?"

That was the most infuriatingly confounding, quirky, and evocative response Kakashi had ever heard in direct reference to the one thousand year old Demon Lord that devastated Konoha, which Naruto apparently found to be the most hilarious thing he ever heard as he broke into sudden fits.

Kakashi noted how Tanya looked off to the side scratching her chin saying, "Huh… interesting…"

Tanya… thought Kakashi. Just how much do you know that the rest of us are in the dark about?

He really wanted her to elaborate, but Tanya interrupted with, "Kay, let's hear the story."

Naruto quit the laughing and began to look a little serious again. He didn't know about Naruto, but Kakashi felt the strong need to inquire how Tanya knew the Kyuubi, but guessed that Tanya wanted to hear the story first before answering any questions sent her way.

So he and Naruto walked Tanya through the history of Konoha, mainly revolving around Yondaime and Kyuubi. Who the Yondaime was (Naruto pointed him out on Hokage Mountain), how the Kyuubi attacked and devastated Konoha, and how the Yondaime sealed him away inside Naruto when he was only an infant, sacrificing himself in the process. Tanya asked no questions, only paid attention to everything the two of them had to say. She proved to be a surprisingly receptive audience.

Kakashi and Naruto finished telling the history, and Tanya was quiet for a moment, digesting everything she heard. They were on their toes, anxious to hear how she would respond, as Tanya was proving to be filled with surprises at the moment.

Tanya finally shrugged. "Sounds believable. That Yondaime of yours was one piece of work. You should be thankful that someone like him who knew his stuff was around."

Kakashi nodded. "The village honors him as their greatest hero. There really was no one like him."

Tanya looked over at Naruto. "Still, don't you ever get mad at the guy?" she asked Naruto.

Naruto thought about it, but quickly shook his head. "Nuhuh, he was our greatest Hokage and hero ever. He saved our village and someday I'm gonna be just as powerful as he was." Naruto declared with a grin.

Tanya, in contrast, frowned disapprovingly. "Even though he made you into a demon host, earning the hatred and scorn of every dumbass in this hole?" Naruto was taken aback and rendered silent at that, seeing as it was a valid question, and definitely one Naruto could relate to.

Kakashi frowned. "You can't blame the villagers for the way they feel about Naruto."

"Pfft! Of course I can." Tanya glared at Kakashi as she stood back up. "Everyone and only themselves are fucking responsible for everything they think, feel, and say, Kakashi. No one else is. Most certainly not some dead Hokage or demon, no, _they_ are the ones who think! _They_ are the ones who speak! _They_ are the ones who act, Kakashi! They're dumbasses with no control over themselves, simple as that!"

"Konoha was devastated. Many civilian and shinobi alike died in the attack. Almost everyone lost someone, Tanya." Kakashi strongly insisted, starting to become very angry with Tanya, for her deriding Konoha completely and the offhanded and disrespectful way Tanya was regarding the Yondaime and the Kyuubi attack.

"So it's alright to give them a scapegoat?" she spat, pointing to Naruto who could only listen to the two argue. "Honestly, considering what went down, you all should be fucking happy that all you lost was a fraction of your population and your precious Yondaime instead of losing everything, though that would certainly have shut all your dumbass thoughts up!"

"People died, Tanya!" Kakashi vehemently snarled.

"No shit!" Tanya shouted in response. "No fucking duh people had to die, Kakashi! How the fuck else would your Yondaime make contact with the Shinigami to use the sealing jutsu in the first place!"

What Tanya had yelled left Kakashi cold, as well as Naruto, who didn't quite understand the implication, but Kakashi caught it. "What are you talking about, Tanya?" Kakashi quietly demanded. "Why would people have to have died for the Yondaime to succeed in the sealing jutsu? All he had to do was sign a contract with the Shinigami and sacrifice a life, which was his own."

Tanya stared incredulously at Kakashi. "What are you, stupid or something? Don't any of you Konoha shinobi know anything? Yeah, you sign a contract with the Shinigami and sacrifice a life, but that's just half of it. You have to make the actual contact with the Shinigami first."

Kakashi was confused. He didn't hear anything like this. "What do you mean?"

Tanya shook her head in disbelief. "It's suppose to be common sense, jeez! You can't just call up the Shinigami anytime to do your bidding. They're fucking Shinigami! If it were that simple, then everyone would be using sacrificial almighty jutsus of death everyday."

Tanya straightened and explained, like someone older would explain to someone younger and ignorant, "Finding a Shinigami is easy, because they're technically everywhere, but it's another thing entirely to catch their attention. They're high enough above us that they don't give a fuck what we do day to day, so long as we die sometime. There's a number of ways to go about ringing them in, but it's always the easiest and best way to try to catch them when they're the busiest or the most active."

"Wait… what's that suppose to mean?" Naruto asked.

Tanya paused, but her gaze towards Kakashi was unwavering. "The best time to make contact with a Shinigami is when and where there are a lot of people dying, Kakashi. It's common sense."

Naruto further demanded, "Wait wait, so what are you saying?"

Tanya shrugged. "One of two things. Either your Yondaime didn't know the conditions beforehand and just got lucky, or, more likely, he was deliberately waiting for a lot of people to die first."

It seemed like the air around Konoha turned freezing, with a terrible weight suddenly pressing on the souls of the shinobi.

Tanya gave a slight shrug, not noticing. "You know, to increase the success of the jutsu-

The kunai suddenly pointed at Tanya stopped her short. Tanya, momentarily shocked, became offended and nonchalantly gazed at the weapon, her eyes going from the kunai, to the arm holding it, to Kakashi's face of barely controlled fury.

"…Touch a nerve, did I, Kakashi?"

"Quiet!"

Naruto stepped back in shock. Rarely had he ever seen his sensei so emotional and in such a state of rage.

Kakashi snarled, "You didn't know him! You didn't know the Yondaime! How…how nurturing and caring he was… How much he loved Konoha, and how much he loved each and every single man, woman and child living in this village that _he died to protect_!" Kakashi trembled as he spoke, but his kunai hand remained ever steadily pointed at Tanya.

Naruto knew why his sensei felt so angry with Tanya. The Yondaime was Kakashi's own sensei, and Kakashi knew what he was talking about more than anyone else would.

Tanya was quiet, silent, her expression one of neutrality, or she just didn't know what to say in response to this side of Kakashi she never saw. After what seemed like hours, she finally spoke in a very subdued voice.

"Where was he?"

Kakashi stopped short, his visible eye widening at the simple basic question. Tanya quietly continued.

"You're right, Kakashi. I didn't know this Yondaime at all. But where was he? Where was he when the Kyuubi showed up? If he was there, at the front lines, next to all the shinobi he loved, and blocking the way to Konoha, where someone like him would have been, then I'll apologize, take back everything I said, and state very clearly that you are right, and I am wrong."

Hauntingly, standing in that spot, Kakashi's mind suddenly flashed back more than twelve years ago. He was once again an Anbu. He had heard the news that shook him as much as it did everyone else. The Demon Lord Kyuubi was going to attack. Everyone, from chuunin all the way up to elite jounin and Anbu, rushed to Konoha's defense. The fighting was horrible, a giant jumbled mess. Kakashi could barely remember everything that transpired as more shinobi kept dying…

Where was Yondaime?

Kakashi couldn't stop shaking. That one memory, that one tiny memory in the stormy mess of the attack, glared at him in the face like a shockingly white spotlight, the memory of a single question demanded by a jounin who had soon died.

Where was Yondaime?

The Yondaime did come. He arrived riding atop Gamabunta as the stories tell it. Kakashi knew it to be true, because he saw Yondaime, his sensei, come riding in on Gamabunta to face Kyuubi, where he soon performed the jutsu to seal him away inside Naruto.

But where was he!

Kakashi horrifyingly realized that the Yondaime did not face Kyuubi immediately, instead arriving precious moments later, moments in which shinobi kept dying, and more and more of Konoha suffered.

Scant, life-giving precious minutes where the Yondaime simply wasn't present.

Yondaime had to find a baby, sign the contract with the Shinigami, and perform the powerful sealing jutsu that would put an end to the attack. Maybe the Yondaime was genuinely surprised, and perhaps he had to quickly think of a way to stop Kyuubi, and then he would have had to find a child, an orphaned Naruto, and then he would have had to spend the time to make the contract, and then finally arrive to face Kyuubi.

And yet, how could that whole process have taken minutes! Yondaime was legendary for a reason. He single-handedly took on armies and won. He invented powerful, life-saving jutsus right on the spot. What's more, Yondaime was a legendary master of seals and sealing jutsus, something that took him very minimal time and effort, even exceeding the skills of his own sensei, the late Sandaime. Even the Sandaime had sealed away Orochimaru's arms with a similar sealing jutsu, making a quick deal with the Shinigami in the heat of combat and in a matter of seconds…

…During the Sound's invasion of Konoha…

…Where people were dying.

"No…" Kakashi nearly dropped his kunai, his hand trembling beyond use.

Did Yondaime really, deliberately, condemn some of his people to die, even if to ensure success that the sealing jutsu would work?

It couldn't be! It was impossible! There was absolutely no way!

Sensei… What… What were you really thinking that night?

And if that were true… if he really did wait until the time was right, until enough people died… then did Kakashi really know his sensei?

Naruto silently watched his sensei in his turmoil, but he only caught a bare glimpse of the raging maelstrom tearing Kakashi apart inside.

Tanya had some sense of it, and finally got the thought that perhaps she had crossed a line she shouldn't have crossed. "Who was he to you, Kakashi?"

Kakashi was silent as he forcefully tried to gather himself back together. "…He was my sensei, Tanya…"

"…Oh." Tanya went from feeling apathetic to feeling rather guilty, and she didn't like the change. She stood silently for a moment, only guessing at what Kakashi could be thinking. She didn't want him leaving with the wrong ideas.

"Hey, look, Kakashi… Dammit, Kakashi, look at me!" Once she got his attention Tanya sat back down on the roof, looking towards the Hokage Mountain. She really hated explaining herself, but this time around she felt obligated to. Sending a sideways glance towards him, she said, "Look, don't take me the wrong way. I didn't mean to say that the Yondaime was a bad guy. In fact I'll bet he wasn't. Whatever happened and whatever he was thinking, I'm sure he did it to protect and save as many people as he could. Besides, I'm not an expert, so don't take what I say so seriously. It's not like I know anything around here." Turning more fully towards him, Tanya grinned slightly. "Don't overreact is all I'm saying, One-eye."

Kakashi was silent, but he knew she was right. He did overreact a bit. Whatever the requirements were for sealing the Kyuubi, it didn't change the fact that Yondaime ultimately saved Konoha from being completely destroyed.

He guessed that it was just the implied means that really touched a mark in him. But even then, as Kakashi calmed down and thought logically, Tanya's attitude of the whole thing was soberly true, and he knew the real underlying message of what Tanya meant.

Kakashi personally knew how much of a kind and loving man Yondaime was, but the fact remained that he was arguably Konoha's most powerful ninja.

And in the world of shinobi, you don't become powerful by being a kind and loving man.

In reality, all means do justify the end. It's a shinobi truth.

It still left a bitter taste in Kakashi's mouth.

No more conversation was exchanged for a while, as the three on the rooftops all sat down in contemplative silence, viewing the Hokage monument lit by moonlight, particularly the face of Yondaime that watched over the village. Naruto was thinking of the meeting in whatever way he interpreted it, and Tanya looked slightly anxious but at the same time thoughtful about something, occasionally sending glances towards Naruto.

Kakashi debated whether it would be best to approach Tanya now or later on about the things she knew, because he now suspected that there was a staggering amount of knowledge that could be learned from Tanya. But he didn't want to interrogate Tanya in any way. He wasn't thirsty or greedy for new knowledge. Instead, as a now associate and possible ally of Tanya, he was genuinely curious.

In his original opinion, and in the opinion of many others, there was much to be learned about the two unique visitors present in Konoha, both Kisa (Nakada Kisa, he had recently learned, who came from a rare, and unknown, bloodlimit clan) and Tanya (whose full name, or possibly even real name, he had yet to learn). Much mystery and speculation surrounded the mentally unstable white-haired green-eyed Kisa, such as possible background and potential power, but little to no speculation was exchanged about the red-eyed lizard woman named Tanya. It was possibly because of the aura and attitude that was given off by her that everyone assumed that there just wasn't a mystery; Tanya was exactly what she looked like, a unique and strong woman with reptilian features and a rude demeanor.

Kakashi, from this evening, learned two new things about Tanya. One, Tanya had a shinobi background. Two, like all shinobi, she was full of surprises, and secrets.

Tanya's brow furrowed, her anxiousness rising. She coughed to clear her throat, catching Naruto's and Kakashi's firm attention.

"Hey, kid, Naruto, was it?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

Tanya scratched the back of her head, almost sheepishly. "Uhm… sorry if it's personal or embarrassing to you, but… uh," Tanya turned her inquiring face towards Naruto, "Mind if I see your seal? I'm kinda curious."

Both Naruto and Kakashi were surprised at the odd and unexpected request.

"Why?" Kakashi asked. "Do you know anything about seals, Tanya?"

Tanya paused and looked away slightly. "Well, I told you already that I used to be a kunoichi long ago, right? While I had the inclination, I had a lot of interest in seals and sealing techniques…" Tanya glared at Kakashi, "Just don't spread the word, you pirate." She glared at Naruto, but without as much venom, "That goes double for you, Kid."

Naruto blinked in nervousness, then nodded. His face brightened, "Hey, does that mean that you can teach me stuff on seals and stuff?"

Tanya looked slightly annoyed, but chuckled as she crossed her arms, "I ain't teaching you nothing kid, go find someone else to do that, someone with more patience."

Naruto pouted, "Aww, but I wanna learn new stuff! Kakashi-sensei already taught me a lot, and Ero-sennin is never around to teach me anything cool!"

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "Ero-sennin?"

Kakashi tapped his pocket. "Author of Icha Icha, and incidentally one of the more powerful shinobi around today."

Tanya blanched, "Man, you're kidding me…"

Naruto leaned forward, "So can you? Can you? Please!" he begged.

Tanya leveled an even glare at the blonde ninja. "You're not gonna stop bothering me are you?"

Naruto grinned, "Nope!"

Tanya sighed and gave an exaggerated shrug. "Let me see your seal and I'll think about it."

"Awesome!" Naruto was excited, but carefully lifted his shirt to give Tanya a good clear view of the Kyuubi seal. Tanya leaned in for a good close look, and so did Kakashi, who really wanted to hear any comments she made, but was also once again marveling at the masterpiece work of the late Yondaime. Imprinted on Naruto's stomach was a very advanced and intricate-

"Ten-point seal, god damn…" commented Tanya in an impressed tone. "Not bad… Actually, very nice..." Tanya passed a sly grin towards Kakashi. "Your sensei was fucking talented, Kakashi."

"Eh? Is the seal on me really that good?"

"Hell yeah, Kid." Tanya gave an encouraging grin and indicated towards the seal, "I can tell by the stylish graffiti on your chest that your Yondaime was damn good at what he did. Be proud of him all you want."

Naruto did look proud as he beamed a grin, and inside, Kakashi felt the same towards the compliment given to his sensei and his work.

Tanya looked like she meant what she said, but slowly and suddenly she frowned in thoughtfulness as she scratched her chin, which Naruto caught onto.

"Eh? What's wrong?"

Tanya pondered a bit more. She casually pointed at the seal. "Kyuubi is supposed to be in there, right?"

Naruto blinked, and slowly nodded, "Yeah… so?"

"Well, the ten-point seal is awesome and all… but, I wonder…" Chakra visibly gathered at Tanya's fingertip, which Naruto looked at nervously as he still held his shirt up.

Kakashi stiffened, not sure what Tanya was planning to do. "What are you…?" Tanya, with an inquiring face, lightly tapped seemingly random points on Naruto's stomach, applying very light chakra pressure to the seal…

Like magic, a second hexagonal six-point seal materialized on top of the existing ten-point seal.

"EH!!!" Naruto gawked at the second seal on him that appeared out of nowhere.

Tanya gave a low whistle. "Hot damn! And a six-point sealing matrix on top! Holy shit!" Tanya, ignorant of how shocked Kakashi was, playfully elbowed him in the ribs, still admiring the two seals. "You know, if your sensei was this good, he probably didn't have to put up with all that Shinigami crap I talked about-

"What did you do and what the hell is that on my stomach???" Naruto demanded.

Tanya frowned at his rudeness, but quickly grinned. "I didn't do nothing, it was already there. It's called a sealing matrix, Kid."

Naruto tilted his head and squinted. "Sealing matrix?"

"Yeah. It's like… hmm… dammit I can't explain technical stuff for shit… how about this? If your Kyuubi seal is like a really big gate, that sealing matrix is like a really big extra lock you need a combo to open."

Understanding dawned on Naruto's face, "So it's a good thing?"

"It's a very good thing." Tanya grinned knowingly. "It means Kyuubi still won't be able to worm his way out once he figures out the framework of the ten-point seal, and it'll make extracting the demon next to impossible if you don't do anything about the sealing matrix. And since it's hidden like that, they probably won't notice it."

She went on, pointing out the sealing matrix to Naruto like a teacher. "See, it's like a real combo lock, in that there's a certain way and order you have to apply chakra to the sealing matrix. The six points means it's a combination of any six chakra pressure points here... kinda like a password. The hexagonal shape represents… paternity, I think, and that's even better. It means that only Yondaime or any males related to him can even do so much as shake the thing around." Tanya shook her head in amazement. "Man, I'm glad at least one person around here knew his stuff, even if he's dead now."

Naruto had a look of awe on him in face of the new things he learned. He waved to catch Tanya's eye, "Hey hey, can you teach me more about sealing matrixes? They sound really cool!"

Tanya raised an eyebrow, and gave a sardonic grin. "No thanks, Kid. Why don't you ask your sensei here or someone else around to teach you. You might want an expert or something, though. Am I right, Kakashi?" she asked, turning to him.

She frowned when seeing Kakashi still looking intently at the sealing matrix, now fading back into hiding, before leveling his intent gaze back at Tanya.

"Who taught you this?"

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "People you probably don't know. Why?"

"Tanya… I have never heard of anything like sealing matrixes." He paused for emphasis. "No one in this village is aware of them, and certainly have no idea of one existing on Naruto's stomach. Nowhere in any known technique scrolls does it record the use of sealing matrixes…"

Tanya's face was impassive, but as Kakashi went on, he could sense the rising fight-or-flee instinct in Tanya, who did a good job hiding it.

"So… let me get this straight, Kakashi…" Tanya drawled out slowly. "All the stuff I just ranted on about, about Shinigami sealing techniques, demons and sealing matrixes, no one around here knows…?"

Kakashi gave a slight nod.

Tanya blinked. "Seriously."

"I'm being serious."

"You weren't kidding when you acted all surprised and shit."

"I wasn't kidding."

"…" Tanya closed her eyes, let out a slow breath, and began chuckling. "Incredible… simply amazing…"

Kakashi pressed, "You know what this means, Tanya?"

Tanya kept chuckling till she leveled a deadly eye directly at Kakashi. "You gonna interrogate me?"

Kakashi stepped back at the blatant accusation. "No, that's not-

"You gonna strap me down, put me under the spotlight, and torture everything I know out of me, and finally put me under the scalpel once I'm broken and no use to you, huh!"

Kakashi really did feel a bit guilty and hurt at how Tanya was throwing the old accusations at him. "No, Tanya, I won't," he stated firmly.

When it looked like she didn't believe him, he continued. "Neither will anyone else. No one will touch you for anything you know, Tanya-

"On whose word, huh? The villages? Your Hokage, Tsunade's?"

"On my word, Tanya." Kakashi ground out firmly. He reached up and pushed his headband up, revealing both eyes directly looking Tanya in the eye with subtle, silent conviction. "On my word and honor, I personally will see to it that no harm comes to you."

"Or Kisa?"

"Or Kisa."

Tanya looked back at him, also directly in the eye, red eyes dilating as if analyzing. Tanya's eyes quickly darted to and back from Kakashi's kunai pouch.

Kakashi slightly spread his arms away from his sides.

Tanya quickly swiped a kunai and held it reasonably adeptly at Kakashi's neck.

"Hey, wait, Tanya!" Naruto started in panic.

"Swear it, Kakashi! Promise me!"

Kakashi ignored Naruto, keeping his eyes firmly on Tanya's, not even sure if Tanya were capable of eye techniques or not. Tanya held the kunai firmly against the flesh of Kakashi's neck, even going so far as to cut a thin, shallow and long line across it, and all throughout, Tanya's red reptilian eyes glared into Kakashi's own normal eye and Sharingan eye.

"I swear it, Tanya."

Tanya's face twisted into a snarl, but soon after her eyes slowly closed and her expression softened. Removing the kunai she held it out to him, holding the handle out for Kakashi to take, which he quietly did. Wordlessly, she moved away from him to look away and outward.

"I'm a dumbass," were the first words out of Tanya's mouth, which threw Kakashi off. She turned back slightly to meet eye contact.

"I'm gonna tell you all this because I trust you, Kakashi. I got lucky. I made a fucking huge mistake. Because I never lived in the ninja countries around here, and where I come from, we were deliberately raised away from you guys. It never occurred to me, during all these years while I was alone, that the things I knew and the things I was raised on, barely anyone else would." She turned away and spoke in a quieter tone. "If I came to some other place, and spilled any of this stuff to someone less savory, who knows what would have happened to me, or Kisa for that matter."

Kakashi silently took in what Tanya said, understanding perfectly what she was saying. Tanya's situation could very well have turned out the way she kept fearing if she had ended up someplace else and trusted someone else with less morals.

"Thanks, Kakashi. I appreciate the home and company all you Konoha types gave me, but I'm not staying."

Kakashi's eyes widened. "Tanya, don't be foolish! We aren't-

"It's not because of you guys, Kakashi, though I don't completely trust everyone here. But face it." Tanya turned full body towards Kakashi. "Forget about me saying or knowing anything. It's like I kept saying, I'm the latest thing. Word spreads and it spread fucking fast, and too soon too many people are gonna hear and move to come down on my ass. If it were just me I would just stick around and wait patiently to beat the tar out of them and eat their livers… But I also got Kisa to take care of, and word of her is going to spread, too. I'm willing to go head to head with an army, but honestly, you think Kisa is just as capable?"

Kakashi reluctantly got her point. It wasn't so much a trust issue anymore. Now it was the fact that because the two of them had stayed in Konoha for a long enough time, enough people know about them that their reputation will reach other villages and enemies of Konoha, who will want to exploit the unknown and bizarre pair.

It was a very clear and reasonable plan. Tanya and Kisa had to remain on the run.

"So you're just gonna run away, and you're gonna take Kisa with you, Tanya!" Naruto demanded.

Tanya looked over at Naruto and shrugged. "It's the best choice I got right now if I want Kisa to stay safe, and your sensei agrees, you know." Naruto looked like he wanted to plead further. He didn't want his new friend Kisa and now Tanya to both leave Konoha for good after they only stayed for such a short time.

"But you know, Tanya… You're always welcome to stop by. Konoha can remain your home if you wish. Or even just a rest stop."

"Heh…" Tanya gave a small grin. "If I come back, you're treating me out to more food, got it, pirate?"

"Hey, wait! You can't leave yet! You gotta teach me more stuff!" was Naruto's outcry.

Tanya raised an eyebrow at this. "Honestly, as a kid, aren't you supposed to hate lectures?"

Naruto crossed his arms and pouted with squinty eyes. "School sucks, but training is training and everything I learn can only make me stronger!"

Tanya burst out laughing, which threatened to give Naruto another tantrum. "God, what is wrong with you, Kid? Okay, fine, one question, maybe two, and no more, got it?"

Naruto paused and looked down a bit. "Well… I was wondering if you could tell me more about Kyuubi, or demons."

Tanya frowned and immediately turned somber, narrowing her eyes a bit at Naruto, who waved his hands defensively and said, "Hey hey, don't be mad. It's just that, you know, since Kyuubi is going to be in me for a while, I think I should know more about demons and stuff… and Kyuubi doesn't talk much to me."

Tanya still half-glared at Naruto, but didn't turn him down outright, as she saw the merit in such thinking. There wasn't any malicious intent present, and Naruto really did want to know more about demons and Kyuubi. Naturally, Kakashi was curious as well, as demonology wasn't a common or popular field in the world, but Tanya seemed to know a bit about Kyuubi at least.

Finally, Tanya gave a slight shrug in response, though her face was still darkened. "Thing is, Kid, I probably don't know any more about Kyuubi than you do." At Naruto's questioning and doubtful look, she paused and continued, "There are many stories about the old demons in the world, Kid, you just have to find them. Kyuubi probably has his own stories, but most of everything I know about Kyuubi is actually through the stories another demon."

Naruto and Kakashi perked up in interest. "Please, go on, Tanya… that is, if you want to," Kakashi plainly replied.

"Yeah, I wanna hear about this demon, too. Did you know him?" asked Naruto.

Tanya looked off in the distance thoughtfully as if she didn't hear him. "Heh… yeah… I kinda knew him. His name was Tokagero."

Kakashi tossed the name around in his head for a moment. "I've never heard of any powerful demon named Tokagero."

"I'd be surprised if you did, pirate. People stopped talking about him for hundreds of years. Not out of any fear or respect or anything. People just forgot about him, because they eventually thought he was unimportant."

Naruto raised a confused eyebrow. "But if he was so unimportant, what did he have to do with Kyuubi?"

"They were rivals, kinda."

"…What?" That statement didn't quite register in their heads.

"Tokagero was Kyuubi's rival for the status of Demon Lord." Tanya was still facing outward, missing the looks of shock behind her, but knowing they were there. "So the stories say, anyway. Way back in the day when it mattered, many demons, including Tokagero, wanted the power and prestige of being a tailed-demon. I guess it was some sort of status thing, but I have no idea how exactly it was given."

"Wow," Naruto said in awe, never having heard any legends like that and thinking it was the coolest thing ever.

"He didn't want to be just any tailed-demon. He wanted to be on top. Meaning he wanted a shot at being Nine-Tails, a status that was, quite frankly, reserved for your buddy Kyuubi."

Naruto blinked. "He didn't win, did he?"

"Hell no. Tokagero got his ass handed to him." She paused. "They say the fight was spectacular, but I don't think any of the demons cared, because Tokagero fell out of the scene for a while after that. Or they kicked him out of whatever society demons live by, I don't know, though it would make sense I guess."

Kakashi was as caught up as Naruto was, as there were very few demon stories circulated, few of which told many concrete facts.

Naruto piped up, "Hey, what kind of demon was he? Was he anything like Kyuubi?"

"Tokagero was a weasel," Tanya immediately stated, surprising him. "A slimy worm of a demon, a loser, and a coward. Always slunk around, never stayed for a fight, and always ran when he had the opportunity."

Tanya inclined her head a bit. "Though I guess that worked for him more than against him. It made everyone forget just how powerful Tokagero actually was… His fight against Kyuubi, he gave his all and stood his ground, meeting the fox demon head to head. Even though he lost, I guess it surprised the other demons so much that they simply made him leave."

Tanya shook her head. "Tokagero had a strong reputation as someone who always ran. If you ever come across any stories about him, they'll probably represent him as Tokagero the Coward. People remember the Coward. They don't remember the other things Tokagero was."

Kakashi thought that he detected subtle hints of hatred and loathing in her voice as she verbally depicted the demon Tokagero, but she also sounded very weary about it.

Naruto raised his hand, "But hey, was Tokagero really a coward?"

Tanya didn't speak, only shrugged. Kind of disappointed at the lack of answer, Naruto asked more questions. "How do you know him? What other sides were there to him?"

Tanya, still staring away, continued, "What Tokagero really was I guess, was a hunter. One of the best hunters, actually, even for a demon. It's a shame few feared him, because seriously, if he really wanted to find someone, anyone… It was said that if he set his sights on you, as long as you still existed in the world he would find you. He wasn't weak in the least. He was a demon, and he was powerful. Maybe he was smart in running so many times, but Tokagero was very capable of defending himself."

Kakashi and Naruto looked to her intently. Tanya didn't seem to be paying much attention to them while telling them about Tokagero, but now she seemed to be deep in drifting thought. Absentmindedly, Tanya was clenching her hands and extending and retracting her claws, and when she continued, the two of them listened in silence.

"Yeah, I knew him... I saw him myself… I don't know who he truly was, but at the time, he looked just like the old stories said he was… Not as the Coward, but as the powerful demon he really was… Senses so potent, it was as if he could read all your strategies just my smelling you... Strong scales that deflected every weapon and jutsu you threw at him… Claws so sharp, they left black gashes wherever they went, as if cutting the very air into shreds… He was scrawny, but had as much strength as a demon twice his size… He was damn clever enough to read your moves, but his rage was nightmarish. You cut off two of his limbs and he would still come after you, still kill you… And his eyes… he had eyes…"

Slowly, she turned towards the pair. So intense were her large red eyes then that they couldn't help but be drawn to those eyes.

Tanya raised two clawed fingers to them.

"And he had eyes just like these, Kid…"

Her words sunk deep into them, and they could only stare in stunned silence. Naruto himself was especially shaken, but he didn't know why. Abruptly Tanya turned away, but her voiced was more subdued than usual.

"And that's it for the lecture, Kid. Cya around."

And with that she left, leaping clear over the rooftops, leaving Naruto and Kakashi to wordlessly gaze after her.

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"How long till we're at Konoha?"

"For the last time, dammit, we're another day away! Stop asking, we're not even going to do much."

"Yeah, I know! It's just that this army behind us, the one we're suppose to support while they attack Konoha, creeps the hell out of me! They don't talk, they don't sleep, and I don't even think I've seen them eat! What the hell are they supposed to be?"

"They're called Adoju-nins. Don't ask me what that's suppose to mean, I've never seen them before."

"Where do you think Orochimaru-sama picked these guys up?"

"No idea, but I think they came in with that new ninja that Orochimaru-sama has been working heavily with lately."

"I don't like that guy."

"Well, our opinion doesn't matter, so don't say anything that'll get you into trouble."

"If these Adoju-nins are so great, why the hell are we even tagging along?"

"We're suppose to provide general reconnaissance while these guys cause chaos in Konoha, but we're also suppose to help neutralize the specific targets we were briefed on, especially the lizard woman, because the Adoju-nins aren't going after her."

"Why not?"

"I don't know what the hell these… ninjas think. But supposedly they're very good at whatever they do. And if we're very lucky and this attack goes off without a hitch, we'll be coming back to Oto with the targets."

"Yeah, that lizard woman and the girl."

"Is that really all we're being sent for?"

"I guess this is a test for the Adoju-nins, because I heard Orochimaru-sama talk about how the Adoju-nin army could be used to defeat several key clans in Konoha and bring back the traitor Uchiha Sasuke."

"If they can do all that, why can't they do that during this attack?"

"I don't know, Kabuto-sama said they just couldn't. Now come on, you're slowing us down, we need to be there before noon."

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Tanya couldn't shake the feeling that something very bad was going to happen very soon. It didn't have anything to do with her revealing to Kakashi a secret about herself that she had never even revealed to anyone she knew, not even to Kisa.

No, it had to do with something else. It was something really bad, yet the feeling seemed very familiar.

Whatever. Konoha looked tough. They can handle whatever shit comes their way. All that mattered was getting Kisa and getting their ass in gear.

Tanya didn't notice how vividly Kisa was appearing in her mind until she registered that her senses had noticed the smell.

Blood. A shitload of blood.

Tanya growled in panic, noting how the smell got stronger the closer she came to the flat.

"Goddammit!" Tanya screamed, as she clear propelled her body through Kisa's window, ignoring the sharp stings of glass and rough impact with the frame which broke inward, instead immediately focused on the fact that _the whole room reeked of Kisa's blood_.

Tanya made it just in time to see Kisa's prone form slip into unconsciousness in the middle of the room.

Not wasting any time on words, Tanya swiped Kisa's limp form and headed straight for Tsunade, breaking and shattering objects and walls that were in her way.

Kisa's eyes were half-lidded and held a residual green glow. Blood leaked from numerous cuts on her body.

And tightly held in her hands were a straight razor, and a paintbrush.

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**Author's Notes**: The story should be visibly moving along now, though a lot of it still looks plain or sloppy to me, somehow. Sorry if the Tanya focus has been annoying you guys, but now things will be more over-encompassing for a while like it was before, and I would like to get back to how the other characters are doing. I know it seems like most of the focus should be on Kisa, but in truth the entire story is not necessarily centered on Kisa, Tanya, or other as yet un-introduced characters. It's going to involve all of them and the hidden aspects of the shinobi world that come with. I know the story has been very mellow as of late, but action is yet to come. Thanks for being patient, and sorry if you haven't been.

**Character Notes on Yondaime**: In this fic, I'm playing off the assumption that Yondaime is the father of Naruto. The development I put on the Kyuubi seal presumes that the Kyuubi is even more protected that believed, and that no one can manipulate the seal or draw anything out, except the late Yondaime or a relative of his, which in this fic means Naruto, who has been able to make deals and draw chakra from Kyuubi. It's never going to be said in the story that they are related. As revolutionary is should be, it doesn't have a meaningful place in the story.

So you know, I am not trying to paint Yondaime as evil in any way. I'm only putting emphasis on the fact that we don't truly know the Yondaime, and we certainly don't know everything that happened that night. Everyone in Konoha loved Yondaime, and that love would color any historical recollection they make of him. It's quite likely that Yondaime has had to make a number of unpopular choices, but in the current timeline, no one would care.

As for the development on the Shinigami sealing jutsu, I really see that as a pretty practical way to present it. For something like sealing away a 1000 demon into an infant, a long contract, a lot of chakra, and self-sacrifice sound nice, but I really think that more lives would be needed, as we are dealing with a Death God, see.

For Harry Potter fans, my sister noted on how it seemed to reveal a more Slytheryn side to the Yondaime. I somehow really liked the idea, and it stuck.

**Character Notes on Kyuubi and Tokagero**: You'll notice on how I am heavily developing the demon aspect of the Naruto universe in my fic, creating and extending a pantheon and what not. Because of that, in this chapter I naturally considered making Kyuubi a minor character in relation to the revelation on his history with Tokagero, but I decided against it. It would have made the chapter awkward, and I'm using as an excuse the fact that in cannon Naruto doesn't really socially interact with the Kyuubi very much to ask him a lot of things, let alone ask about his personal history. Tanya did say that Tokagero was Kyuubi's rival for the position of Nine-Tails way back in the day, but if you read between the lines you might pick up the idea that Tokagero wasn't a rival that was taken too seriously by Kyuubi. Not to downplay either of them, though it's safe to say that Kyuubi is the more powerful one.

There will be no confrontation between Kyuubi and Tokagero in any manner, shape, or form. Tanya and Naruto is debatable, but just as unlikely.

**Character Notes on Tanya and Tokagero**: Tokagero is a sort of minor OC in my fic in that he won't make any solid appearances as a character but has significant relevance to the story as a whole. Some readers may have caught on really fast the connection between Tanya and Tokagero just from the name if they know where I got it. Tokagero is a title that's supposed to mean Lizard. How 'bout that, huh?

What Kyuubi's feelings are of Tokagero I can't say yet, and how Kyuubi would react to Tanya I can't say yet either, because I haven't revealed yet how exactly Tanya is connected to the demon Tokagero. It is safe to assume that the connection is a very strong one, as the attentive reader will note from my fic the really strong comparisons, and contrasts, between how Tanya looks and how Tokagero was described. It's another one of those connections I warned about. It'll be revealed, just not yet, as Tokagero is very important and key to how Tanya is now, and how she will be. Furthermore, Tokagero's role in the shinobi world isn't as insignificant and Tanya would like to believe.

Some readers may think that Tanya is a bit OOC from how I normally present her, but that's not entirely true. Her sudden knowledge may have come as a surprise, but it's knowledge she's already had engrained in her and probably never thought that she would need again. This goes back on the point I wanted to let you all know I wanted to touch upon way early in the fic, and that was the difference in environment and status quo that the OC's have been raised in.

**Character Notes on Adoju-nins**: For those of you who have forgotten, these guys made an appearance back in chapter 14, Glimpse of Menace, when we see a glimpse of things in Hidden Sound, and an army of white-clad, white-masked shinobi attacking Sand village. I can't reveal anything about them at this moment, other than the fact that they are a personal creation of mine. They will be regular antagonists, and they are evil, not on intent, but on principle of what they do. You'll find out next chapter.

**Character Notes on Kisa**: No, I am not killing her, but neither am I making her completely irrational, as there is an explanation for everything. I apologize for downplaying her these past couple of chapters. The focus is steadily coming back to Kisa as you can see. She may or may not have as big a role in the next chapter, but more of the story is now centering back on her. And Kisa's role in the story is still very important.

Extra credit points if you can remember from where a paintbrush may have been relevant to Kisa.

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	19. Arrival via Blood

**An Error**: A mistake in my writing was pointed out to me. In my previous chapter I had written that the Sandaime instructed the Yondaime, which is of course not true. I am aware that Sandaime trained Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru. It was an unintentional mistake on my part that I somehow missed. I meant to bring up the Sandaime in a related note, but I didn't mean to say he was Yondaime's sensei. They were, however, both accomplished practitioners of sealing techniques, and I guess the sensei part slipped in unnoticed because of that comparison. Sorry about that. Got too caught up in the story I guess.

**Author's Notes**: Over the question of romance I have to say that I'm still considering it. It's not so much that I'm wondering if romance would be present so much as where I think it would be most appropriate for my fic. There are plenty of points where romance could happen and I have to say that it's starting to look really appealing. Then again, it matters just as much if you guys want to see some than if I want to plug it in. People on my end tell me I might not do romance so well, but who knows. Don't expect romance anytime immediately soon is all I can say.

This update took way too long, and I don't even think it's that good of an update, but we'll see.

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"_Someone get her down from there!"_

_"Oh my God, are you alright??"_

_"Someone mend those cuts right now!"_

_"Forget it, I'm fine! It's her you should be worried about!"_

_"Easy! Don't aggravate her!"_

_"Come on, come down, it's okay, it's okay… My god!"_

_"Someone make her stop!"_

_"Restrain her now!"_

_"Don't hurt her!"_

_"Make her stop!"_

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Tsunade was at her wit's end.

For once, she was not hitting the bottle hard. After chugging down half a bottle of sake, she decided that she couldn't stomach the drink right at that moment, which was very strange of her, but it was half out of a need to sustain mental clarity and half out of simply feeling very, very sick.

Last night Tanya had brought in a Kisa that was cut up and in serious need of replacement blood. Her wounds and cuts were done with a fine and very sharp instrument, which they determined had to be her razors. Cuts were present over vital arteries, but they were expertly and precisely cut in a way that they simply bled at an even rate, not flow or squirt.

They had gotten the needed blood back into her system, only to have Kisa go berserk on all of them, lashing out at the doctors and shinobi for apparently no reason and fleeing further into the hospital, babbling nonsense.

Tsunade had, finally, seen the eyes of Nakada Kisa that Neji and Hinata had seen when they first found her. Not psychotic, not entirely. Scared, yes, hateful, confused over where she was and what she was doing, but not hesitating at all to do so. Not psychotic, but completely detached from her environment. Tsunade wondered at that moment if Kisa could even properly perceive that they were there. It cut deep into Tsunade's heart to see Kisa in such a state. Apparently her stay in Konoha hasn't been as relieving or healing as she thought it would be for her. It's as if she never met Tsunade in the first place, because she didn't seem to recognize her in her delirium.

And she kept babbling, babbling out broken sentences that made no sense, with words like "clan" and "Nakada" and "Doctor" popping up every now and then. Kisa kept babbling out nonsense in terrified tones that made it clear that she was delirious.

Her shinobi, many of whom were associated with Kisa, had trapped and surrounded her in her room, but could not approach or restrain her without harm, because she had armed herself with hospital scalpels. Kisa seemed like she couldn't focus on any one person, but she still warded away the shinobi with skill. Those that got to close were cut up with precise swipes that immediately drew blood.

Only Uchiha Sasuke dared to get too close, and at the expense of receiving numerous lethal wounds upon himself managed to restrain her enough so that she could be handled.

That is, until, seemingly realizing that she could do no more harm to them, tried instead to harm herself. Frantically and repeatedly she banged her head on walls, the floor, and over bars out of a seeming desire to give herself a concussion. Then it all went to hell very quickly.

Nakada Kisa did something then. That's what Tsunade suspected. In the immediate chaos that initiated, no one could pin down what exactly Kisa did then that had affected them all so, but the effect was there. They were disorganized, shaken beyond what they normally would be.

Whatever happened then, Tsunade inexplicitly caught brief faded glimpses of a boy she thought she knew, young and proud, as well as equally faint glimpses of rain, blood, and strange symbols.

At the moment, Kisa was, thankfully, soundly out like a light, being tended to by machines and brave, uneasy nurses and medic-nins.

No one could tell what exactly happened, and no one had any idea what it could have been. No one could explain why Kisa, who apparently seemed so healthy and mentally sound day to day in Konoha, would still have such a frightening outburst. No one had a clue what was going on with her, what was going on overall. No one did, but right now they were talking to the one who just might.

Tsunade wanted to strangle the Uchiha. The impudence on his face was shown very clearly as he glared at his Hokage, repeating, "I keep telling you, I don't know anything."

"According to my sources, Kisa has been spending more time with you than with anyone else, so of course you know something," Tsunade coldly stated.

Also in the Hokage office were Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi. Team 7 was there since it was mainly Team 7 who knew Kisa to some degree by now. Naruto and Sakura looked between Tsunade and Sasuke, uncertain over the tension between the two. Kakashi was silent in the matter, but was listening to everything intently.

Notably absent from the meeting was Tanya, who had simply up and left someplace after Kisa was stabilized, much to Tsunade's annoyance.

Sasuke, feeling very impatient and annoyed, still paid Tsunade the courtesy of hearing her out for the moment. "What precisely is it that you want me to say?"

"Anything that can give us any hint as to what set off Kisa like that, Sasuke."

Sasuke scoffed. "I think you're overshooting here. I hardly know her."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "All that time spent and you still hardly know her, you say?"

Sasuke shrugged, making Tsunade narrow her eyes in irritation. She didn't get a chance to remark back, because right then a pair of Anbu had popped in.

"I'm in the middle of something, so it better be good," Tsunade shot.

"Hokage-sama, it has to do with our patient's living quarters, which we very strongly feel you should see. Tanya is there right now."

Tsunade sat up. "Tanya is there?" She hastily stood and started to head out. "I'm not done with all of you so you're all coming with. As your Hokage I order it!"

Tsunade left out the door and stormed out of the building, passing questioning shinobi and a concerned Shizune, giving no explanation. With her shinobi in tow, they headed straight for the flat at a quick and orderly pace. Anbu trailed behind and along, unseen.

Sakura and Naruto looked uneasily at Sasuke, who seemed very dark and brooding at the moment. True, it wasn't anything new with them, but they suspected that Sasuke was dark and brooding for an entirely different reason.

"I'm sorry that Tsunade-sama is being so harsh to you, Sasuke-kun… It's not really your fault, it's because she's stressed," Sakura tentatively said as they moved, not wanting to overly offend the Uchiha.

Sasuke spared her a glance, and though he didn't show it, his mood seemed to lighten slightly, just very slightly. He wasn't mad at his team, much, afterall. He was mostly mad and brooding over Kisa's behavior.

Really, Sasuke was mildly shaken, but only because that early morning in the hospital he swore he saw a split second glimpse of his hated older brother, but immediately knew a second later that it was just a mind trick. It wasn't Itachi, just a faded tracing of what looked like him. Knowing it wasn't real, he dismissed it.

The outburst caught him off guard as much as it did everyone else, though in hindsight he should have expected it. He knew that Nakada Kisa was deranged and insane to some capacity, but to see it so blatantly, to feel it touch him and hurt him, it bothered Sasuke, almost disturbed him.

So he kept himself angry with Kisa. It was the only way he knew how to keep himself from feeling even remotely concerned over the Nakada.

"I don't see what the big deal is. It's not like Kisa is a part of our village."

"Well, Kisa might as well be, since Tsunade-sama promised she could stay. Tsunade-sama cares a great deal about what happens with Kisa, and I guess…" Sakura trailed off.

Sasuke turned slightly towards her. "And you guess what?"

Sakura tensed, feeling conflicted. "Well, she doesn't think you're the best influence for Kisa… that she shouldn't be around you at all…" Which was a lie, Sakura dismally thought. It was more herself than Tsunade that felt Sasuke wasn't the best influence for sensitive Kisa.

Sasuke blinked. He considered making some retort, or at least say something rude about the Godaime, but he found himself simply not caring enough about the matter. So he simply shrugged.

Sakura and Naruto slowly stared incredulously at his seeming nonchalance, which in their minds was unlike him. Anything resembling an insult or a hint of inadequacy towards him he would usually attack back.

"But… don't you care, Sasuke? Aren't you mad?"

"No."

"But isn't Kisa your friend?" Naruto demanded.

"Of course not," was his blatant replay. Sasuke glared at the two, then walked on ahead of them, ignoring their upset looks of disbelief and mild anger. As he walked he let out, "What makes you think that she's yours?"

He stopped and turned back slightly, seeing their expressions of shock. "Neither of you know her any better than I do, so what makes you think you can unquestioningly call her your friend?" he stated with a slight edge.

Their expressions fell, and Sasuke's turned away and kept walking. "You want to know what I know? Fine. I can tell you right away that according to what I know you guys don't know anything about Nakada Kisa."

That bothered Naruto and Sakura a lot, but it bothered Sasuke even more, because he knew it applied to himself as well.

'What the hell is the matter with you, Nakada…' he mentally growled.

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Very soon the group had arrived at Kisa's flat, similar in appearance and make to the flat Naruto lived in. Sasuke nearly missed seeing the massive hole where Kisa's bedroom window was suppose to be. He went through the window often enough himself to pick up or meet with the Nakada on his own terms. This time however he opted to follow the group through the front door, where there was already a single Anbu stationed.

The flat was kept at very normal conditions. Reasonably clean, with maybe a bit of food, a dish, or clothing out of place, but far from being an utter mess. It gave no hint of housing such an odd pair such as Kisa and Tanya.

Tsunade was already up the stairs, which were slightly nicked with claw marks, and the group composed of Team 7 followed her up. When they got up, they were met with a startling sight.

Tsunade was backing up, weak in the knees and hand firmly held to her mouth as if she were about to retch all over the floor. Sakura rushed to aid and steady her mentor before remembering that there was only one thing that could have driven the accomplished medic-nin and sannin so sick.

Kakashi had dark suspicion on his face, set off by one of his particularly developed senses. Naruto rushed to help steady Tsunade, an uneasy look on his face. Sasuke merely stepped past them to get a good look and step through the door he knew held Kisa's room.

Due to certain experiences, Tsunade had a deep psychological fear of blood, which the sight of would have rendered her inoperable but which she had been working hard to overcome. It's no wonder then that the scene that greeted them would have made her so ill, because blood was certainly in abundance.

There was no armed conflict in the room, little evidence of which could be seen. Everything in the scene could only have been a meticulous, deliberate, act.

Dried, stale blood was everywhere, the room smelled of it, but it didn't coat anything. Instead, it ran along the walls and floors in deliberate patterns and signs, seemingly randomly placed without a discernable method. They didn't look like anything the present shinobi recognized, looking more like mad scrawling than anything else they had ever seen. Sometimes a recognizable word or symbol was placed here or there, but overall it all looked like some alien jargon. It all stood out profoundly, but staring at them too long gave one a headache or a sense of mild dizziness from the chaotic jumble of it all.

'Like the scrawling inside a madman's cell… or madwoman,' thought Sasuke. 'Just like before.'

Sasuke had seen this before, seen it occasionally from the past week when around Kisa, but never on a large scale like this, and in blood. Sasuke had seen it before, and knew that it was Kisa's doing.

Apparently, Tanya had seen in before, too. 'So that's Tanya…' Sasuke thought, mildly perturbed at her presence. 'She looks like she wants to rip someone a new one.'

She stood near the center of the room, impassive stance and eyes drifting throughout the scene. By far, out of all who were present she was likely the most unfazed. The only sign of her stress was her crossed arms and clawed fingers clenching tightly. Upon seeing the Uchiha, Tanya's frown deepened, but she paid him little heed after that, which annoyed Sasuke, but clearly Tanya's thoughts were elsewhere.

Behind him, Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi had stepped into the room, varying degrees of shock and horror present on their faces.

"Oh my god…" Sakura managed to whisper seemingly fearful of getting too close to the blood writing that was obviously done with Kisa's blood. Kakashi was silent on the matter, but sidled up near Tanya, also looking around, both eyes open. Naruto looked horrified and confused, and helped a recovering Tsunade back into the room. Tsunade forced herself to get a better look at the room.

'This is different,' she found herself repeating in her mind. 'No one was killed, Kisa is safe, just old blood. It's different. Just old blood…'

It was different, alright, but not in any good way in the least. Just what the hell was Kisa's goal in writing all those… whatever the hell it was she drew.

"What do you make of it…?" Tsunade asked out loud, intending the question to be towards Tanya but really voicing the question to all those present.

Tanya inclined her head towards the group while Sakura uneasily looked further at the scrawling in the room.

Sakura found herself shivering. She didn't know why, but the scrawling instilled some primal fear in her. It made her want to run away, far away, but she forced herself to stay. "Maybe… I don't know, maybe, Kisa was trying… to express something… let some stress out… and this was the best or only way she knew at the time… I think?" Sakura was hopelessly trying to peg Kisa's behavior from what little she had so far been able to gather from her psychology books.

Everyone looked at her funny, but Tanya paid attention with a raised eyebrow. "What else do you think, kid?"

Nervous, but also emboldened, Sakura went on, "I'm guessing… it's only a theory… that Kisa was… very scared…?" Tanya indicated for her to continue, which made Sakura more confident. "Terrified enough to make her delirious, so much that the only way she could communicate that to us was… through all this…" Sakura indicated to the blood scrawling everywhere.

Sasuke seems disinterested and Naruto looked thoughtful, but Tsunade and Kakashi looked mildly impressed.

Tanya gave a mild sideways grin. "Not bad, kid. Not a bad theory at all, though you're only half right…"

Everyone looked up at Tanya in surprise. Sakura blurted, "So, you actually know what all this is about, Tanya?"

Tanya gave a mild, indifferent shrug, though her eyes were hard. "Sure, kiddo. Kisa definitely needed to get something out, but it's more than you think." Tanya waved her hand around in indication. "All this is a message Kisa wrote."

"What??" Naruto and Sakura yelled. Kakashi seemed much more conscious of the blood scrawling as he now paid much closer attention to them.

Tanya wasn't moved by their surprised outbursts. "Girl probably had no idea what she was doing, either, though something obviously spooked her," she said, matter-of-factly.

Tsunade looked at Tanya in much more seriousness. "You're certain this is a message, Tanya?"

"Hell yeah. I've seen Nakada do this all the time back... back in the day. Not always in blood though. The fact that it's in blood must make it a serious one-

"What does it say?" Tsunade immediately demanded.

Tanya gave her a weird eye. "Do I look like a Nakada to you?"

That shut Tsunade up quickly. The implication was obvious. The exact message was for Nakada eyes only.

"But," Sakura tentatively spoke up, "there aren't any other Nakada around here, are there?" Most of those present knew, picking up hints from the past couple of weeks, that there wouldn't, and shouldn't, be other Nakada around for Kisa to confer with. Sasuke's interest perked up in turn with the change in conversation, a thought occurring to him.

"Hope not," Tanya replied frankly, eyes pessimistic.

"Are there?"

Eyes turned to Sasuke who finally spoke up, Tanya's especially. Dark eyes met the red predator eyes not intimidated in the least.

"Are there other Nakada?"

Tanya looked at him long and hard as if discerning his true motives. Finally she turned away.

"How the hell would I know that, kid? If you really want to know something I'm not the person you should ask."

Sasuke pressed further, "But you know about the Nakada, don't you? Granted, I'll believe you when you say you don't know much of what's going on, but you're the one who knows the most about the Nakada clan here, aren't you?"

Tanya stood silently before the scrawling as if she didn't hear him. She tilted her face towards the ceiling for a moment as if pondering before turning full body before Sasuke with contempt.

"If you're so close to Kisa, then why don't you just ask her instead."

Sasuke kept a neutral expression, making the others think he was mad. Actually, that wasn't true at all. Surprising himself, Sasuke found that he held little resentment towards the lizard woman.

He did, however, have some idea of what he wanted to do next.

Tanya grumbled something unintelligent and spat out the open broken window. "Jeez, I'm going for a walk." She quickly made her way for the open hole of a window, no one really stopping her, before she herself stopped, and looked over her shoulder quizzically.

"You coming or not, Pirate?"

Kakashi mildly started, pointing at himself in question.

Tanya twitched.

Kakashi didn't resist as Tanya dragged him out of the flat by the vest, a resigned expression on his face. He saluted his students before the two disappeared.

Tsunade blinked, not quite understanding all the underlying things that went on. "What was that all about?" she asked Team 7. Naruto and Sakura shrugged.

Naruto verbally pondered, "Maybe they wanted some alone time, you think?" Sakura blinked, turned pale white, turned deep red, and then punched Naruto's head into the floor.

"You sick perverted baka! _EWW_! Don't even… I don't… they… how… what!" Flustered, Sakura turned to her mentor and asked, "How physically possible would that be, Tsunade-sama??"

Tsunade herself turned red. No offense to Tanya, but _eww_ indeed. "Why are you asking me?"

Tsunade changed the subject, reluctantly bringing her attention back to the blood scrawling. "Personally, I'd rather think about what all this is about, because I have a feeling it's something really serious." She turned one way, paused, then started grumbling, "That little runt of a bastard…"

Sasuke, at some point, had up and left the flat unnoticed.

-

-

Kakashi had to remain alert and attentive as he kept up with Tanya speedily leaping across the Konoha rooftops. Apparently Tanya had a place to be, and she wasn't wasting any time getting there.

On top of that, he felt very uneasy. After the whole debacle with Kisa, Kakashi couldn't help but feel something ominous in the air. Tanya probably felt the ominous feeling even more. He couldn't help but notice the increasingly predatory aura surrounding Tanya. Not so much purely aggressive like when he first met her, but with an underlying need to protect and defend as well.

But from what?

"Do me a favor, Kakashi," she spoke as she continued leaping towards the border walls of Konoha. She gave an eye, "And no, I'm actually not leaving."

Feeling more convinced than not, Kakashi asked. "What's up?"

"You got a lot of authority, right?" she quickly asked.

Kakashi mused as he leapt along, "You could say that-

"Don't bullshit me, do you have authority or no?" They stopped right atop the border wall, overlooking the forests surrounding them.

Surprised, Kakashi tentatively, but honestly, replied, "I have authority, yes, over some jounin and Anbu-

"Warn them."

"…What?"

"Ditch me right now and fucking warn everyone! I'm serious, Kakashi! And don't fucking ask me what's going on, either, because not even I know, okay!"

Kakashi turned hard and silent. He didn't like how Tanya was acting, but looking at her staring attentively at the horizon, listening to her, and taking everything that has happened into account, Kakashi skipped over all the small talk and pointless questions and, looking underneath the underneath, went straight for the true question that would answer everything.

"The last time you saw Nakada blood scrawling, what happened?"

Tanya stiffened, clearly surprised that Kakashi asked what he did, but she quickly took it in turn, if reluctantly.

"The last time I saw Nakada blood scrawling a lot of people died."

Kakashi, after a moment, nodded. "I'll let everyone know, Tanya." He quickly made hands seals. "You will wait for reinforcements, Tanya." He then poofed away in a plume of smoke, gone.

Tanya still glared attentively at the forest, grumbling, "Don't give me orders, Pirate…" She continued glaring, sensing, for a good minute, another minute, and another, knowing, even without seeing it, that something-

Tanya's nose flared, eyes widened-

With lighting swiftness, Tanya flung her forearm out in immediate defense, the high velocity harpoon skewering clear through her arm, making it hurt tremendously.

Eyes flaring, blood and adrenaline rushing through her system, Tanya finally caught a glimpse of the incoming nightmare that had decided to show its face to the Doctor's children once more.

So shocked was Tanya that she barely moved to avoid more harpoons fired her way.

The few Sound headbands didn't even register to her. All she saw were the bone white reflective facemasks she'd recognize in a drugged state.

In a piercing voice she screamed as they came, "What the fuck are Adoju-nins doing here??"

-

-

When the group had left the hospital, Nakada Kisa was fast asleep from all the excitement and exertion on her part. By now, she would have replenished her blood and had her wounds healed.

Right at the moment, Nakada Kisa was awake in her hospital bed, sitting upright, hugging her knees to her chest, a look of neutral calm on her face.

Sasuke saw this right outside her window from his angle in a tree.

It really pissed him off. After the whole debacle the early morning that got him cut up badly from a deranged Kisa, she had the nerve to wake up all calm and serene as if nothing had happened and everything was normal.

He was going to give her a piece of his mind right then and there, when he paused. Gears turned in his head as he forced himself to get a better look at Kisa.

It was indeed Kisa, and there was nothing wrong with her, but to Sasuke, who privately admitted that maybe he did know a thing or two about the Nakada, something was wrong.

No… something wasn't wrong. Something deep in his gut told him that _everything_ in this scenario looked wrong.

It was nearing the afternoon, just like any warm day in Konoha, but Sasuke felt chilled, chilled over the fact that something was trying to get into his head, some idea that eluded his grasp like a slippery fish. Kisa, her arriving, her mood swings, the training, her sudden outburst at the hospital, the mad blood scrawling, and now this.

Sasuke was never one for premonitions, but something deep and dark was telling him that it was all connected, all connected to one single thing.

What the hell was Sasuke thinking so hard for??

He thought hard over Kisa. Now she looked settled and calm, but last night and early morning…

Her eyes. He remembered her eyes very well, even in abnormality (a relative term when talking about Kisa, he'll admit). Nakada Kisa seemed to always be in a perpetual state of fearful wariness, but looking past her derangement at that hour, Kisa had looked absolutely terrified.

Sasuke had seen Kisa terrified before, but that was new to him. Not the normal kind of terrified, as one would possibly feel over seeing a powerful and potentially fatal jutsu being directed your way. The look on Kisa's face then was terror on a biblical scale.

Sasuke felt that he'd seen a lot of things by now, but he didn't know just what exactly would merit that kind of fear and terror, even from Nakada Kisa. Remembering her eyes once more, he found and knew, but didn't want to believe, that he didn't want to know what exactly it was that scared her. It was this through this self-reflection that he realized something important.

It was a revelation for Uchiha Sasuke, one that he reflexively didn't believe in, but in light of the things he had recently been thinking about, found himself more willing to accept.

Sasuke was afraid of Kisa.

Sasuke feared nothing, not Itachi, not Orochimaru, not Naruto, not Sound, Sand, or Leaf, absolutely nothing, except for Nakada Kisa.

No, he wasn't afraid of her as an individual, and most certainly not as a shinobi. Kisa obviously failed as a human being to some capacity, and though she had the potential to be almost as powerful as he, he could still beat her around like a well-used toy.

It wasn't something he could put into words; Sasuke was never the most eloquent person after all. He didn't know what there was to be afraid of in Nakada Kisa, or why.

All he knew in the core of his being was that whatever it was that freaked out his partner that much was something that he himself should worry about as well.

And right now, seeing Kisa so still and subdued, immediately after her outburst a while ago, caused him more incentive to be anxious than the insane outburst itself.

Again, that single clue that everything connected to still continued to elude him. He forcibly calmed himself, not realizing that his body and mind were so tense. He took deep breaths, looking for the point where it all connected, trying to find where he'd seen it all before…

A scene from his childhood came to him, and despite wondering why the hell he was looking back at his childhood, allowed himself to relive the memory in his head of the… pet store?

Strange. Sasuke hated pet stores, though he never explored the reason why.

It was a memory of when he went to a local pet store with his mother, back when he could only just walk. Rather than feel the emotional weight of remembering his mother, he allowed himself to remember the memory, wondering why the hell it was significant.

Back then, as a kid, Sasuke had never been to a pet store, and found the pet animals fun to see. With all the animal sounds coming from the dogs and cats and birds in their cages as they played and ate, it was like a miniature zoo.

Sasuke frowned as he reminisced. He distinctly recalled really looking forward to visiting the pet store with his mother, and even after that as a kid he still liked animals. What made him hate pet stores so much?

Then he remembered what happened next

Within a second, the cheery pet store had turned into a screeching chaotic mob. Docile and happy dogs turned wild while howling and barking their bloody heads off to the ceiling and windows. Cats refused to be handled and tore up those who tried to hold them. All the birds did nothing but make noise at their highest volume.

The sudden change scared the hell out of young Sasuke, though to be fair everyone else was frightened and confused as well. Sasuke remembered himself crying, and his mother hugging him assuring him that everything was okay.

Then, just as suddenly as before, all the animals turned quiet. Absolutely quiet and not making a sound.

Before anyone in the pet store could think meaningfully over what it all could have meant, the ground began to shake, hard.

It was the only recorded earthquake to have ever hit Konoha. A few small portions of Konoha had collapsed, leaving a few shinobi injured and a handful of civilians dead.

And all during the earthquake, the animals in the pet store did not make a single noise, as if they knew the earthquake was to happened, and had accepted it, waiting it out, resigned to it…

Sasuke's eyes widened as it finally clicked.

All the animals had resigned themselves to the tragedy that was to come.

Quite similar to the resignation that Kisa's form held now.

Resisting the urge to look or sense anywhere but on Kisa's location, Sasuke made a straight line for the hospital room, catching the sudden attention and the change of expression on her now steadily panicking face.

To the trained eye, her eyes said, 'Get away!'

To Sasuke's eye, her eyes said, 'Get _me_ away!'

-

-

-

-

* * *


	20. Profile of the Adoju Nin

**A Thank You note**: Going on since a certain point a while back while writing this fic I have regularly received some good and encouraging comments from a handful of readers, and for that I have to thank you guys. More than getting actual reviews, it's uplifting to know that people are actually reading what I write, and like it. Thanks guys, it does me good.

**Author's Notes**: As a few readers subtly or not so subtly pointed out, yes, I am going for provocative material, and yes, I had every intention to be hitting you guys as hard as I was. Call it a vision, but it really started with a small idea I mused and pondered over practically over a year ago that grew big, about an unknown bloodlimit clan called the Nakada. That clan would need an origin and history, and then there would need to be witnesses to that history. There would be the big question of the impact this clan would have on the established, expected world that we grew up on, and finally there comes the question as to why this unknown clan with an unknown bloodlimit, have remained unknown for so long and why, after all this time, decide not to be unknown anymore.

Just a thought process, really, infuriating in its mystery, but it'll end one day, I suppose.

Wow, it's been a little over year since I published this fic. Just what have I been doing this entire time? Heh.

-

-

-

An occupation? A minor occupation is what the jounin were calling it? This was no occupation. A blatant, _viral_ _infestation_ is what it was. The enemy had no power or control over the village now, but _damnit all_ they wouldn't go away no matter how hard they tried to purge them!

Every single time, they would think they were gone. Then, right when their metaphorical backs were turned, more would pop up to wreak more havoc. It was ridiculous, and it needed to stop now!

Sabaku no Gaara, the Kazekage, was not a patient man, and at the moment he wasn't anything remotely close to being a pleased man. He wanted nothing more than to personally storm through his village and mercilessly hunt down each and every single one of these… Adoju-nins… as their guest had coined them.

"Vermin…" he silently hissed out. It was a point that both he and Shukaku agreed upon. Gaara had no qualms whatsoever over letting Shukaku take pleasure in all blood spilled from the bleach-masked invaders. It's been a long time since Suna had seen the more gory and brutal acts committed by Gaara, even if it was only against invaders, but as far as he was concerned all Adoju-nins were under blood bounty; blood spilled on sight.

Shukaku didn't take advantage of Gaara in this state. He couldn't if he tried. So furiously focused and willfully driven in defending and purging his village was Gaara that anything that remotely resembled Shukaku making so much as one step towards gaining control was met with a swift mental blow in Shukaku's direction, one that actually hurt. Shukaku wasn't used to meeting that kind of solid resistance, so he kept silent and dutifully expressed his power the way that Gaara wanted him to, since he at least got to revel in blood spilled.

But truthfully, there _was_ a good, pure reason why Gaara was so bloodthirsty.

Suna didn't even have that many shinobi to begin with compared to some other villages. In the initial stages of the invasion and a number of times afterwards a handful of his shinobi had met with brutal, inhumane deaths. An even bigger number of his shinobi were injured, most hospitalized.

Among those hospitalized were both of his siblings.

Kankuro had recovered for the most part. Temari was still unconscious, but not from injuries. Temari needed to be sedated from the pain.

His village, his family, his precious people, was suffering, nearly dying. Someone needed to _die_.

To make matters worse, Suna learned very quickly that being handicapped was no protection from the enemy. Their injured, dying, and even dead, were even more vulnerable to the Adoju-nins. Adoju-nins gravitated towards those shinobi who were injured or dying, being more relentless, more persistent, in their cases.

Not even the dead were safe. Dead shinobi were buried only to be found dug up and missing within the next 24 hours. Why the hell Adoju-nins wanted corpses Suna didn't know. They weren't sure they wanted to know.

All of Suna's injured were kept in one compound. Gaara, eyes alert and arms crossed, stoically stood upon the roof, defending all the injured from any and all Adoju-nin incursions.

And further attacks and incursions did happen. Often.

Gaara didn't know how many Adoju-nins there were supposed to be left, and frankly, he didn't care how many more there were supposed to be, whether it be ten or ten thousand. There were only two things on his mind. Kill all Adoju-nins. Keep his village safe and alive, namely Temari and Kankuro.

Once all that was done, Gaara had questions for Suna's alleged guest, questions that he _will_ get answered.

Gaara could sense Kankuro making his way to the roof, but that didn't mean that he was going to drop his guard just to greet him.

Gingerly, though barely in any pain, Kankuro stepped onto the roof, making his way towards Gaara. Not turning, Gaara bit out, "You should be resting."

Mildly intimidated, but still with a grin, "Now really, who else is going to bring you updates at this time? Besides, since you insist I can't fight right now, I gotta do something."

Gaara gave no acknowledgement to that, instead asking, "What's Temari's status?"

Kankuro cringed at the images of the battle that landed Temari in the hospital. "She's getting better, healed really well, probably wake up soon. She won't be happy that we had to knock her out."

"Too bad," was Gaara's response. "Anything else?"

"Yeah. All our shinobi who were recalled from missions are finished being briefed on the status of our village and of the Adoju-nin threat."

"Did you do it?"

"Nope, that girl, the Uzura did."

Gaara narrowed his eyes at the mention of their guest, who asked only to be mentioned by her supposed clan name, Uzura.

"Where is she now?"

"Out patrolling and fighting. With escorts, of course."

"I don't trust her, Kankuro. Not after this."

Kankuro started, "Hey, I'm not completely sure about her either, but without her help and her knowledge of Adoju-nins we would have lost so much more here, Gaara-

"She knows far too much about the enemy, and she knows more than she's telling us, Kankuro. She brought the intruders here, to our home. She even admitted it. They're _her_ enemy, so why is it _our_ people who are suffering for something _her_ people couldn't handle, answer that!" Gaara spat in anger.

Kankuro said nothing to that, allowing Gaara to take a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

"What else is there to tell me?"

Kankuro looked grim. "One of our chuunin teams that came back brought news of other Adoju-nin sightings."

"Even more…" Gaara muttered.

"The chuunins didn't know what they were seeing at the time, of course, but… According to them, what they saw was a large number of Adoju-nins heading in another direction, that wasn't us."

Gaara paused in his thinking, not liking where this was going.

"Where were they heading?"

His line a tight mouth, Kankuro replied, "Assuming they kept to their route… Konoha."

Gaara's eyes widened ever so slightly, then tightly shut in frustration.

Konoha _did not_ need another invasion. Not an invasion by even worse monsters than the likes of Orochimaru.

Gaara feared for Konoha now, his inner priorities being split apart as he suddenly felt a compulsion to go to Konoha immediately to meet the other, fresh Adoju-nin threat. Konoha was Suna's ally. Naruto was Gaara's friend. Certainly Konoha could weather the attack, but at what cost? Konoha, and Naruto, can live without meeting Adoju-nins. But he didn't dare leave his own village that was still under threat.

A bigger, direr realization came over Gaara. No one in Konoha knew anything about Adoju-nins! Suna didn't even know anything about them, not until their guest, the Uzura, had enlightened them to the threat when they invaded.

Gaara felt very conflicted, not knowing what to do, before turning to Kankuro for any advice, but Kankuro held up a hand to stop Gaara.

"I know what you're thinking, Gaara. I'm good enough to run now, and I'll ask a jounin or two to come with."

Gaara stared. He didn't want to send Kankuro, not when he had just recovered. Then again, he wanted to send someone familiar and trustworthy to those in Konoha, and at the moment Kankuro qualified.

"Take however many you have to, Kankuro. Go immediately to the people you think matter most at the moment you arrive. I trust your judgment."

Kankuro nodded, "Don't worry, Gaara, I'll-

"Go! And take Kagyuu with you."

Kankuro immediately left.

That left Gaara alone on the roof, feeling misgivings over sending wounded and needed men, and already sensing more Adoju-nins coming back for more.

-

-

"Hmm? What the hell??"

Asuma, Kurenai, Gai, and other jounin stopped and started at the disturbance.

Two things ran through the minds of the jounins present in the jounin lounge.

One, for the signals and warnings to go off so soon and without a hitch that's got to be one very sloppy invasion.

Second- wait, wait, _they were being invaded?_

POOF!

"Kakashi!"

"No questions. Follow me."

It was the no-nonsense attitude present in Kakashi that prompted all the jounin to immediately obey. Making the proper seals, they all transported themselves to the roof…

To see that the supposed invasion was already well underway, regardless of what any of them could have done.

Hundreds of white-garbed shinobi leapt, no, flowed over the Konoha wall like a tidal wave, moving more like a single entity than a coordinated army. Like an insect swarm, it looked completely unnatural and out of place.

Once beyond the wall they broke apart and spread out into scattered groups, their movement still remaining consistent and coordinated with each other.

Without a word, Kakashi sped straight ahead, directly at the army.

"Wait, Kakashi!" Kurenai yelled as she followed, Asuma and Gai following suit. Already jounin and Anbu teams could be seen meeting the threat as well.

Sidling up right next to him, Kurenai saw the face of a battle hardened Kakashi.

"Tanya," Kakashi drew out, almost inaudibly.

"What?"

"She knew. She somehow knew this was coming. It was thanks to her that I was able to get the warning out as early as it did."

"But, how could she have known, unless…"

"I don't know, and right now that doesn't matter. But she's already met the invasion head on and alone. For all I know she's already met her end."

Kakashi gave a brief glance to Kurenai.

"You all know what we have to do in this kind of situation, but I personally need to see what became of Tanya."

He really did worry about what became of Tanya. What could he say, she really grew on him, though he would have gone out of his way for any of his closest friends and allies. Judging from how the army was coming in, Tanya would have taken the full brunt of the attack before anyone else, and he feared for the worst.

Kakashi knew very well that what he was doing was selfish and not the best action for the village that he could have taken. He wanted to make that very clear from the beginning so that no one else would have to take or share responsibility.

Those beside him understood as well, but they did not oppose him for it. But still, it made them anxious, as it was more minutes wasted, and they didn't even know the threat at all.

Almost at random, a large chunk of the white army broke off from the main body and veered off course… straight for Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma and Gai.

"Here they come, my friends! Be prepared!" hollered Gai as he sped up to meet the unknown threat.

Kakashi himself didn't really want to waste his time on this, but now would be as good a time as any just to see what these white mystery ninja's were capable of.

The jounin could see them up close now. They were all completely garbed in white form-fitting suits, not all that different from Gai and Lee's leotards. Their heads were covered in tight hoods that were a part of the suits, with bone white reflective featureless masks covering their faces completely. There were no headbands in sight, nothing that could give away their identity. They looked very scrawny, perhaps wiry, as they moved very easily and acrobatically across the rooftops that spoke of their apparent skill or their lack of weight. They sported no apparent weaponry on their bodies that the jounin could see, though some carried pouches and a couple carried a backpack with seemingly no hindrance to their movement. Some of them carried plain unknown tubes.

Kakashi counted twenty, maybe thirty of them moving to intercept. Shouldn't be a problem, not with the other jounin at his side. However, it was difficult to quantify just how skilled the ninja's were just by looking at them, so he had to be cautious.

Kakashi sped at the incoming swarm, and experimentally flung a few kunai.

With frightening coordination, the large group of white garbed shinobi split apart cleanly into two flanking groups, avoiding the kunai altogether.

The group on Kakashi's left pivoted off the corner of a rooftop and made for a straight leap at Kakashi. He leapt back, flinging kunai at the incoming group when they all did something strange. They immediately formed a straight line in response as they moved. The white ninja at the front took all of the kunai, killing him. As he fell, his comrades used his still-falling dead body as a stepping-stone to propel themselves at a better angle at Kakashi.

Kakashi didn't have time to marvel at their inhumane efficiency, as he hadn't forgotten about the other group that would be behind him now. He immediately turned, catching sight of the other group as they brought out small boxes Kakashi didn't recognize-

CHIK! CHIK! CHIK!

"Ahhg!" Kakashi instinctively clutched his one open eye from the burning they were subjugated to. They were like camera flashes, but much, much stronger, and so direct that it felt as if the light were directly concentrating on the retina.

It was just the opening that the white shinobi needed. At the first sight of faltering, the two groups swarmed him, dog-piling his body on the rooftop-

POOF! They were on top of a log.

Up in the sky, Kakashi peered down, eyesight recovering and hands readying a jutsu to unleash as he fell-

"Ahh!" Kakashi swung his eye around at the white shinobi who was impossibly behind him, clinging to his back with small blunt clawed hands, seemingly trying to tear out the flesh from his back. Kakashi grabbed him by the neck and flung him down at the rest of the white shinobi, discovering how light he was.

Without missing a beat, four of the white shinobi leapt straight up, grabbing onto the one who was falling, and, using him as leverage, flung themselves further up, straight at Kakashi up in his face.

He kicked the first on in the face, kicking the next one in the neck with the same leg, sending them both flying. The other two made it on top of him, where Kakashi sent an uppercut at one, kicking the other, so that both of them were sent up higher in the air-

With a strong twang, two harpoons were fired up from the ground. Kakashi was about to react when the two harpoons blew right past Kakashi's body, nicking him slightly, and cleanly impaling both of the white shinobi that were up in the air with Kakashi.

"What??" Kakashi verbally blurted-

The harpoons were pulled back, forcefully pulling down the two impaled dead white shinobi, both of which brutally collided with Kakashi, pulling him down just as fast and knocking the breath out of him.

Kakashi tried to make seals, but strong grips kept them apart. Perched on top of the two dead shinobi were two more! He didn't even see them appear there!

Hooked wires were shot, some to help bring him down, others to keep Kakashi tied to the dead shinobi, trapped.

Kakashi wasn't scared. He was genuinely alarmed. He wasn't just caught off-guard. He was in a completely different world of ninja efficiency and strategy!

They acted literally as a single fast entity, seemed able to communicate strategy without speaking, and had absolutely no regard for their fallen, but instead used their dead as further tools to accomplish their goals, turning all their losses into advantages.

They were everything the ideal and perfect shinobi was, and wasn't.

The coordination, the techniques, the tactics and strategies of these unknown invaders, they _worked_! They made perfect, absolute sense in Kakashi's analytical mind, and they were working on him! But at the same time, they were so… distant, so separated from all human and shinobi codes of morality and ethics and _sense_ that for a moment Kakashi swore that these weren't shinobi, but in fact malicious demons or spirits. Was all this just a bad dream?

SLAM! Kakashi hit the ground so hard he was nearly knocked out.

"Scree! Scree! Scree!"

It took a moment to realize that the odd, victorious cries were coming from the white shinobi. Various clicks and buzzes and murmurs were exchanged around, like the noises of beasts or insects, further separating them from normal human beings in Kakashi's mind.

Kakashi barely knew what was going on around him. More of the white shinobi crowded around Kakashi, seemingly in anticipation. It felt as if dozens were surrounding him. He knew he had to get up, fight back, escape, but any movement Kakashi made was met with a sharp, efficient blow that either broke or disabled something.

A harsh hand grabbed Kakashi's headband and flung it off before Kakashi could stop it.

They had exposed his Sharingan eye for him, so it was now or never! Drawing his chakra and activating his Sharingan, Kakashi unleashed a powerful mass genjutsu that he had picked up and refined with the Sharingan, one that would surely render the white shinobi useless and allow him to escape…

Nothing happened.

Kakashi panicked, desperately trying to see what he did wrong, before realizing the horrid truth.

Bone-white reflective masks stared back at him in malicious silence, no features to give away hints of any expression. Kakashi stared at his own terrified expression reflected by the masks.

Whether it were something as complicated as intense conditioning and training, or as simple as the manufacturing behind those reflective masks, the white shinobi simply were not perceiving the genjutsu that Kakashi was trying to inflict on them. He had wasted his chakra and Sharingan.

It was obvious that they knew what he was trying to do, because some of them started clicking, a low pitched, slow clicking that resembled chuckling. One of them gave a sharp screech, pointing directly at Kakashi's Sharingan eye.

As one, the group scrambled to pin Kakashi down and to keep his head in place. Kakashi struggled with all his might, but with so many on him and with very strong grips, it was in vain, and all he could do was watch as one of their number slowly, deliberately, reached towards Kakashi's Sharingan eye.

Everything seemed to slow down. The entirety of Kakashi's world was centered on that one bleach white hand reaching for his eye.

No… no, no, NO!

"_You will not take Obito's eye, you monsters!!!_" Kakashi roared.

"HYAH!"

A furious green blur flew over and across Kakashi's prone form, colliding with and knocking away numerous of the white shinobi. More of them leapt away as a rain of shuriken and kunai rained down in a protective pattern around Kakashi's body.

"Kakashi!"

"Kakashi! Oh my god, are you okay??"

"Eternal rival, you must stand up!"

For a moment, all Kakashi could do was breathe. He ached all over, but there didn't seem to be serious injuries that would kill him. Kakashi reached out a hand, which was grabbed by Asuma. Gai and Kurenai further helped him stand up.

"How do you feel?" Kurenai asked.

"Useless," Kakashi uttered with dark eyes.

"That is nonsense you speak, Rival Kakashi! It was those invaders who fought unfairly and dishonorably by focusing solely on you!"

Kakashi jerked to life, "What are you talking about? All of you were there!" he stared at his friend incredulously.

Asuma shook his head, also in disbelief. "For some reason, they mostly ignored us and focused completely on you, until they retreated…"

"Retreated?" Kakashi turned to look…

There they were, the group of white shinobi that Kakashi had faced, and lost against. He did a double take at what he saw.

"Impossible… Didn't you manage to kill any??"

"We did," Kurenai replied grimly. "Their dead are all around us as you can see, but… there they are. And they are real, I checked."

The white shinobi suffered casualties; Kakashi knew that for a fact! But somehow, miraculously, they retreated with the same numbers as when they first engaged the jounin.

It was impossible! The numbers simply didn't add up! But there they were, seemingly moving on elsewhere without any apparent losses…

A bleach-white hand reaches for his Sharingan eye, reflected off a bone-white mask…

Kakashi clutched his eye, forcing away the hallucination. He trembled, making the jounin look at him with concern, but then he stilled himself, taking deep breaths, now having a mission in mind, a true objective in his mind. With fervor, Kakashi leapt back to the roofs, in spite of the pain.

"Hey, wait up!"

"Kakashi, you can't continue!"

But he had to continue! These mysterious invaders, with skills and tactics and unknown powers, there were more, dozens, hundreds more!

Kakashi had no idea what he was up against, and neither did anyone else. Konoha, the Hokage, everyone was completely unprepared and out of it's league!

But there was one person in Konoha who knew what was going on, who potentially knew all the solutions, all the hope in the world that Konoha needed to stand up to this threat.

If he could only reach her in time!

He could see the wall, the border at which Kakashi saw Tanya last, and it was approaching the wall that he was met with more horror.

Clearly, Sound-nins were participating in this invasion. However, they clearly weren't participating anymore.

Sound-nins lied dead. Dead, or dying, trembling from the injuries inflicted on them in vast pools of blood.

Some of them were simply killed, but it was the others that drew his attention. Sound-nins with skin bone-white as if all their blood were drained. Sound-nins with their eyes, or whole faces torn clear off. Sound-nins with all of their skin torn off.

Tanya wasn't the one who did this, no one in Konoha did, as Kakashi discovered as he landed in the midst of some of those white ninja's doing their handiwork.

"You! Help! HELP! HELP ME-AHHHH!!!!"

The Sound-nin's eyes rolled back into his head, his mouth open wide in agony as he howled. The white shinobi were surrounding him, stripping him. Blood pooled around the Sound-nin as two of them were at work, literally tearing off the skin from his back with their bare hands. The skin from his arms was already gone, and though the white shinobi had no apparent openings or mouths, it was clear that some of them were eating his skin. They chewed audibly, an organic crunching sound.

That was all he heard, everything else seemed to have been muted as his ears rose to a roaring pitch. Kakashi wasn't consciously aware of himself moving forward, channeling the chakra and making the hand seals, but once at the critical point he knew that it was what he wanted to do.

"_Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!!!_"

Most of the white shinobi managed to escape and flee, but some of them, too distracted in the gore they've inflicted, got caught in the biggest fireball Kakashi had ever bothered to make.

_Why?_

Kakashi kept it up, until not only were the white shinobi dead, but the Sound-nin as well. It was the only act of mercy that Kakashi could consciously give in light of what he had seen.

_Why did this happen?_

Kakashi angled out, feeding his flame chakra continuously so as to incinerate all the dead, the blood, this…crime against humanity.

_Why did something like this have to come to our village?_

Voices called out to him, but he didn't care. He just wanted to burn and keep burning until it was all gone from sight, but Kakashi knew it would always remain in his mind's eye.

_WHY?_

Kakashi had seen a lot of horrible things as a shinobi, even done a lot of horrible things as a shinobi. But this…

"Kakashi," a hand clasped onto his shoulder, making him stop.

"Monsters…" Kakashi didn't turn to his friends. "They're all monsters…"

A sudden shrill giggling caught everyone's attention as a lanky, bloodied, crazy-eyed Sound-nin stumbled out into sight, clutching a hatchet in a trembling, twitching grip.

"That's right… Monsters, the whole lot of them… I knew we shouldn't have trusted them… Master Orochimaru has no idea… no idea…" he broke into more giggling fits.

Kakashi stepped forward threateningly. "Tell us all you know, everything you know, and we'll spare you, even bring you to safety…"

The Sound-nin burst into a fit of hysterical laughter.

"You… You think that's gonna stop them! They'll kill me! They'll find me, and kill me! They'll kill you, too! They'll kill us and eat us all and there's nothing we can do about it because they'll kill everyone!"

Completely insane, the Sound-nin lurched forward, laughing hysterically and wildly swinging his hatchet-

"Die, Douchebag!"

A harpoon sailed clear through the Sound-nin's head, ending his life.

Kakashi knew that profanity anywhere. He turned in hope, "Tanya-

His eyes widened in shock and his hopes began to plummet at the state that Tanya was in.

She could barely stand, that last attack clearly draining the remaining energy she had. She was leaning heavily against a tree, practically already collapsed on the ground. Bits of skin and flesh were missing off her limbs, some limbs sporting holes, though they barely remained in operation. All over she bled freely, leaving a small pool. She looked pained, breathing hard and eyes partially glazed over as if to pass out soon.

Kakashi paid no attention to any of that, though. His eyes were dead set on the harpoon shot clean through and stuck in her chest, where the heart would be.

"Tanya…" he whispered. Tanya swayed a bit, until finally she fell back, the fight gone from her.

"Tanya!" Kakashi rushed to support her, Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai close behind.

Kakashi caught Tanya, pulling his arm muscles, not even stopping her from hitting the ground, but it softened her fall, and kept pressure off the big projectile stuck in her chest.

"Kakashi, she's going into shock, we have to get her medical help!"

"Then get that help!" Kakashi nearly snapped. Kurenai made the hand seal and disappeared in smoke. Asuma and Gai went on close proximity patrol, keeping and eye out on the movements of the enemy and to hopefully keep them from coming close.

Not that it mattered. In Kakashi's mind, it would take much more to hold back those white ninja's if they were dead set on finishing the job.

"A…doju…" Tanya coughed up blood.

Kakashi snapped to attention as Tanya began whispering with difficulty.

"Get… the children away… I… don't give a damn… what happens to me… Get them away from the Adoju-nins… please…"

Kakashi gazed into Tanya's eyes, eyes that were not completely aware, but elsewhere in her mind.

"They want them… they want us… all of us… who have them… our eyes, our blood… Keep your eyes shut, never bleed… not around the… Adoju-nins…"

"Tanya… you have to-

"Please!" Tanya firmly gripped Kakashi's hand near the point of crushing. Tanya's eyes were still distant, still nearing shock, but also frantic, panicked.

"Get the children away! Get everyone away! Everyone with the eyes… and the blood… get them away… please…"

Kakashi returned the hand pressure, assurance and promise in his eyes. "I will, Tanya. Everyone will be safe and out of harms way…especially the children…"

Tanya considerably relaxed after that, slowly nodding her head.

"Good… that's good… at least you're good for something, you giant ass-hat…"

"Ass-hat, am I?" Kakashi chuckled, despite the seriousness of the situation, knowing that Tanya was still acting like herself.

"Damn right, fucker… You son of a bitch… Doctor… You're the biggest asshole I've ever known, Doctor… and always will be… Don't I always tell you…?"

Kakashi stilled. "…Doctor…?" He found himself listening, really listening, to Tanya now.

Tanya coughed more, still someplace else. "Making fun already… well, fuck you… But it'll be alright… everything will be alright… we… you're still the Mr. All-powerful Doctor, ain't ya…? We can pull through again… this… this is nothing… right? We've seen worse than this… Fuckin' Adoju-nins… we can survive this… we just gotta… we just gotta get the clans back together… before we lose more of them… again… the Uzura… the Nakada… Uzura and Nakada… we just need to get them back …together again… they've beaten them back before… they can… do it… again… yeah…. We'll… be… okay… in the end… Everything… will be… okay………"

It was then that Tsunade and Shizune popped up, finding a mortally wounded and unconscious Tanya and a still, haunted Kakashi. He said nothing, didn't move, and didn't even react as they took Tanya away to be treated. All he could do was stare aimlessly at the space where Tanya laid, the ramifications of what Tanya managed to get out sinking deep into his soul.

"Tanya… the Doctor… those clans… those people you were talking about… They're not here…"

Konoha was on its own.

Everything seemed to weigh down on him. He leaned an arm on the very tree that Tanya leaned against.

Kurenai, Asuma and Gai stood to the side, knowing that they should be elsewhere, but very concerned over Kakashi, wondering just what he was thinking, when Kakashi unexpectedly stood up. He turned around, and despite his aches and injuries, was back to being his calm, collected self.

"So what should we do, Kakashi?"

Kakashi's eyes assessed the group, and then they strayed to the distance, where the Adoju-nin army was wreaking havoc and, surely, death and torture.

He quickly made a handful of seals, and smoke enveloped his form. When it cleared, Kakashi had everything he needed on his body, spare weapons and gear, extra tags, scrolls, soldier pills, and his old pair of Anbu katanas.

His friends, silent, blank expressions, quickly nodded, and together, they spurned themselves straight into the conflict.

_What should we do?_

_We do what we do best._

_Be shinobi._

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**Author's Notes**: Maybe I was a little bit rash in making Kakashi go out of his way like he did, knowing that when things get down and dirty, he goes pretty strictly by the book. However, he really does look out for those that mean the most to him.

Much of what Tanya uttered at the end will be explained in a parable that will feature next chapter.


	21. Pisces

**Author's Notes**: I've finally updated after so long. I'm very sorry for how long it took, and I'm especially sorry to those who loved my fic. A lot of things were going on, but what it comes down to is that I just took a long break. Not all of that time was wasted, however, as I've always checked back with my writings, and finally during this last month I finished up what I feel is a very satisfying chapter, made long and in-depth to make up for all the lost time. I hope it meets and exceeds expectations, so please review to tell me what you think. And as always, if you have any questions I can answer them in next author notes.

Last we left off, the Adoju-nin army invasion of Konoha had just begun. Initially led by Sound ninjas, the Adoju-nins turned on them and now act as they please. Kakashi fell to them but fortunately survived their merciless and frightening tactics. Tanya critically needed medical help, Kisa and Sasuke were nowhere to be seen, and now the attack on Konoha is well underway, whether they get help or not.

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_Things were not always as they are, Child. _

_Do you see the clans around you, the clans and their shinobi? Regardless of how we see them or they see us, or where we all stand in each other's eyes, we are all still the Doctor's children. Remember that. Always was our extended family so vast, but it was not always so, no. Once upon a time, it was much, much vaster._

_We don't know how many clans there were originally, but this land was once much more crowded than you know it to be. But despite there being so much of us, we all knew each other in comfort and security. Yes, there came problems and misunderstandings, but as everyone was allowed a voice, everyone's wisdom contributed, and no misgivings lingered. Everyone had their role, their place, and if need be, we could have changed those roles, should the need arise. We were all skilled, all wise, and all powerful._

_Things were not all perfect, though. Otherwise, you would not need to hear this story told._

_Adoju-nins._

_What the other clans regale as legends and bedtime stories, we know better as truth. The Adoju-nins were no myth, no metaphor for some distant crime or forbidden sin. They are a presence as real as the air you breathe and the blood you bleed, and as much an affront to the natural order as you and I and all the rest of our clan. _

_Most of the clans weren't there. Most of the clans weren't there to watch us rise to what we were today._

_I digress._

_Yes, Child, we were powerful then, and yet we weren't. Power in ones own eyes and power in another's are different._

_You see, the Nakada clan and our sister the Uzura clan, our place in the order today is vastly different than what it was once upon a time, before the Adoju-nins. Or not. It all depends on how one perceives._

_Enjoy the luxury you live by, Child, for we had no such tokens before. Dregs. Scum. Rats. Filth. Demons. Such was the names our ilk lived by. Our sister clan Uzura had it easier. They were the teachers and bookkeepers then as they are now, but they were never warriors, and certainly never considered wise. _

_Then the Adoju-nins came._

_Even to this day, we don't know who they were or where they came from. Perhaps they were a force from the outer, vaster lands that we were always forbidden to go to. Perhaps they too were children of the Doctor, estranged children perhaps, or his bitter, jealous rivals. Whatever they were, they wanted for themselves the blessings that the Doctor never gave them, but generously and lovingly gave to us. _

_Some say that they wanted our flesh and blood. Others say they simply wanted our lives. I say they wanted our souls._

_Be grateful you were born when you were, Child, for it is quite possible that if you were born earlier you'd be forever made an animal in the face of the horror that was Adoju._

_Can you feel it? Because I can, the phantom wounds left by the Adoju-nins as they feasted upon that which made us… well… us._

_The warriors of the time, the wise men of the time, the so called master clans of the time, they push us away, pushed everyone away, saying that we could not help, that surely there was nothing we had to offer._

_Our clan, our family, does not remember those clans, but that's the fault of those dead clans for being so foolish._

_The Adoju-nins won. They came, they killed, they ate, they continued on, not stealing but feasting upon the Doctor's gifts. The Doctor did not help. We didn't expect him to, knowing him as we did. The other clans didn't feel that way as they cried out in desperation, and still, they fell one by one. And they fled, and they hid, and come sunrise the Adoju-nins ruled._

_We, I, was not alive then, and neither does our history tell of how it came to be, but the Adoju-nins did not prevail as easily against the Nakada as they did over others. We fully expected to lose as everyone else did, and we did lose some of our family, but then after, we stood firm, stood firm in uncertainty but still stood alive. More expectedly but still strange, our sisters the Uzura did not fall, either. We didn't die, but we survived, and once we met and joined we learned not only how to survive, but how to win. _

_The other clans, in suffering and in hiding, saw this, and out of mad desperation grabbed us and pleaded with us, called for us and forced us into seats we were not accustomed to… the seat of the Leader. _

_What more can be said but that the tides had turned? Some give us credit for the victory, but there was actual little we did. As is the nature of what we are, no one saw what we saw. No one could have seen what we saw, but for once, out of compassion, we shared what we saw. We saw weakness, so we pointed it out to the rest. We saw an opening, so we held it open for others to take. We did little, but we did enough._

_The Adoju-nins didn't die, but they fled. We could not kill them, we could never kill all of them, but they learned to be wary of us and fled to safety, where we could not follow._

_One thing to remember, specifically because you are who you are, Child, is that the perception of the Adoju-nin may not apply to you, and for that you must beware. Everything and everyone looks and feels the same to the Adoju-nin. Those with gifts are more distinctive, and the Adoju-nin favors killing those, but even they look the same. However, it is all too possible that they remember us as well as we remember them._

_You do not know what they look like. I will not tell you what they look like. But know that they will know what you look like. And once that recognition happens, so will you remember them. You will remember, and you will fear like you have never feared before, because we feared._

_So what do you do, Child? Choose for yourself what your outcome will be, for that is our way. At the time, we chose to live, we chose to share, and finally, we chose to win, but that may be different from how you choose._

_That is easy to say now, but may not be as clear in your future, Child, should the Adoju-nins ever choose to show their face again…_

-

"Wake up already!"

Kisa's eyes shot open to darkness, and for a moment she didn't know where she was or whom she was with. She squirmed in panic and tried to escape her bonds, but they held her down and refused to let her go. Her anxiousness and fear grew so much she almost screamed…

"Settle down and be quiet! It's only me."

Despite her irrational state of being, that one line of reason struck true, and she took a few seconds to breathe.

She didn't recognize the dark room she was in, but it was clearly Uchiha Sasuke that was holding her steady with that disdainful look he always held. However, this time around, she felt from Sasuke a strong and dire sense of urgency and anxiousness.

And then she felt something else, followed by a curse from Sasuke.

Clicking. Insect-like clicking coming from the roof, following by light steps and scratching.

The panic came back, and Kisa's mind was once again no longer her own.

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"Keep single file and keep moving, don't stop!"

"Iruka-sensei, what's happening?"

"Iruka-sensei, I'm scared!"

"What's going to happen to Konoha!"

"Is my mom going to be okay?"

"I can't answer right now, but I promise I'll explain everything later. Please keep moving!" Iruka insisted.

Uncertain and afraid, the Academy students followed everything that their instructors told them to. Some of them have actually gone through this procedure before. Most of them were still in the Academy when the Chuunin Exam took place, so there was much anxiousness in the air, and fear for those that they knew would be fighting. Who was attacking them? Would more people die? Would they lose their Hokage again?

Many of the students did ask these questions, but Iruka couldn't answer them right now. He was asking himself the same questions, and had the same fears, doubts and worries as everyone else. However, to all but the most ignorant shinobi it was very clear that this particularly unique invasion was vastly different than the well-known one that took place during the chuunin exams.

One thing noticeable was the distinct lack of destruction of property. So far, there were no noticeable means of heavy weaponry, explosions, or the like. Previously, the Sound had even employed giant summoned snakes, whereas this invasion was composed entirely of ninja.

The shortsighted would say that that was a very good thing until it's realized that the enemies' target is not the village, but the actual residents and their shinobi.

That said, it would be easy to think that the village would be made more defensible, but as time worn by, they were seeing the opposite. Konoha was being made less defensible, and even less safe.

The invaders seem only interested in attacking and killing their shinobi, but they seem to be very picky over which ones. Attacking them draws their ire for the most part, but when unattended, the invaders seem to completely ignore some of them while focusing almost completely on others, and even then, they stop after a while, then move on, regardless of whatever damage they leave behind, which is often quite devastating on those they attack.

This seemingly random but focused selection of targets is what made defending against them difficult. They could defend a point or person, only to be either ignored or completely overwhelmed.

That said, Konoha was learning to clump and group up themselves, so as to try to match up against the invader's groups. How successful that is turning out is something Iruka didn't know yet.

His main focus right now was not to join in the defense, but to quickly get the Academy students to safety. That was his duty in this type of emergency. It was what he did best, and it was what he was going to do.

"This way!" Just one more block and the children will have made it to safety. He didn't want to overly rush his students, but they had to move quickly or those strange shinobi might notice them.

A hard clatter and click made the group falter.

On the roof beside them there was no one. Then they crawled over out of nowhere, like insects.

About ten of the white-garbed shinobi dropped in encirclement around Iruka and his charges, practically on top of them. Iruka's shocked visage and the terrified expressions of his students were reflected off their facemasks.

One of them, slightly bigger and buffer than the others, made a string of clicks and snarls before clamping an iron grip on one of the students.

"Yomi!" Iruka cried. Some of the other students tried to keep their peer from being taken, but the white shinobi was too strong.

"Iruka-sensei!" wailed the student as the white shinobi moved to leave-

The white group froze as a gurgling choke came out of one of their own.

Iruka had embedded a kunai into the shinobi's neck, making him drop his student. His heart raced as he quickly pulled it back out and flung it outward at the other white shinobi, nailing another right in the face, more through sheer luck than technique.

The students looked on in mixture of shock and awe. They have never seen Iruka-sensei fight before, let alone kill.

Iruka wasn't very skilled in the killing arts, but he was still a shinobi, and so help him he was going to defend his students with his last breath!

While the white shinobi were still thrown off guard, Iruka charged at them, throwing shuriken and kunai as he went before the enemies finally reacted. They all leapt out of range, though Iruka managed to clip and wound a few of them.

Iruka backed up, stance wide and defensive so as to protect his charges. As his students huddled close in terror, Iruka created five simple bushins to surround them with.

There was no way Iruka was going to let them take his students, but now it seems like the enemy was more interested in him than kidnapping the children.

From five separate directions five white shinobi leapt in, swiping at the bushins as they made their way to Iruka. Iruka swung to strike-

-wires unknowingly found their way around Iruka, who was now trapped. The five white shinobi skidded to a halt, and without pause, deftly planted cylinders that immediately fired harpoons into the air, which were attached to the wires on Iruka.

Five propellants were more than enough to lift Iruka up into the sky, where Iruka was suddenly assaulted by four waves of the white shinobi. They didn't strike him, more like collectively collided into and through him. Like four waves of the ocean, Iruka was momentarily buffeted by four opposing forces that seamlessly flowed through each other, but with Iruka in the center, taking the brunt of it all.

"Iruka-sensei!" cried the Academy students as Iruka plummeted. While falling, he caught a momentary glimpse of his students, stricken and crying at seeing him fall. He wanted to smile at them, give them assurances that he'd be okay, but words failed him as he fell to the awaiting onslaught below…

Fast blurs caught his eye, and his defeated body was caught firmly by a pair of hands. Iruka's disorientation went away as he caught sight of the men who caught him, Izumo and Kotetsu, grim-faced, but relieved.

And as soon as he was caught, the waves of white were overwhelmed by waves of orange.

The white shinobi were pummeled into the ground by the kage bushins that matched their numbers. One of them immediately broke off to check on Iruka.

"Iruka-sensei, are you alright??" Naruto's face was filled with anger and genuine fear over Iruka's well being.

"I'm okay, Naruto…" Iruka groaned as he tried to stand back up. "But you have to help me get the Academy students to safety!"

Naruto firmly nodded as he eyed the fearful and teary-eyed Academy students. "Not a problem, Iruka-sensei!"

"Uh, kid?" Kotetsu nudged Naruto to get his attention. "We know the way to safety, but we're going to need a lot more cover!" He pointed northward.

Another wave of ravenous white shinobi came within sight.

Naruto, growling in frustration, made a handseal and channeled chakra. "Kage Bushin no jutsu!"

-

-

The explosion of shadow clones in the distance momentarily distracted Sasuke as he leapt across the rooftops. Had he the luxury, he would have wondered what the hell was going on. Out of whose ass did this mysterious and massive invasion come from? Was this something Orochimaru hid from him? He really hated being out of the loop and not knowing what was going on.

He also really hated carrying the thin trembling Nakada girl that was gibbering her nonsense while he ran, but what was he going to do?

He took a split second to peek behind him at the small, but increasing pack of white shinobi that was in pursuit.

It's not like he was just going to leave her, sacrifice her, to those… _things_.

Sasuke, as well as he could while carrying Kisa, prepared a simple scroll that would transport him to the next safehouse.

He didn't have a plan, and neither did he feel like making one. All that mattered was going someplace safe and hidden, and waiting until he can get his answers.

He activated the scroll, and then he and Kisa were gone.

-

-

_Bzzzz… _

Shino was momentarily distracted by the surge of chakra some ways away, but dismissed it. He and his clan had more pressing concerns at the moment.

_Bzzzz…_

Stoically, the sum total of Aburame clan stood in a loose circle around their small, modest compound. Their arms extended slightly, they kept their eyes outward. Their kikai covered the rest.

_Bzzzz…_

Encircling the compound in a twenty-meter radius were the Aburame's famed and feared kikai bugs that fed on chakra, and often acted as the Aburame's eyes, ears, and often, weapons. Faithfully, they circled the clan at their command, creating a thick impenetrable barrier to protect them.

_Bzzzz…_

Lurking and prowling around in plain sight around the barrier were the white invaders. The communicated with each other with clicks and buzzes, similar to how insects communicated, but there was no way for the Aburames to communicate with these strange shinobi.

Every now and then, one of them would fling themselves at the barrier at certain areas, effectively committing suicide, but the Aburames knew their true purpose was to test for weak points.

Shino glared further at the enemies that circled their home like hungry predators. Clearly they wanted to kill them, but Shino could tell that they were a calculating lot and, for now, this impromptu quarantine was just fine for them.

Shino paused as he took a quick glance behind him at the small, terrified crowd of civilians that have managed to take up refuge with the Aburame clan.

This barricade wasn't for the sake of the clan, but for the sakes of those not capable of defending themselves. Though their home is small, being crowded was better being stuck out there where those things were.

Shino's father Aburame Shibi hesitated, barely noticeable, and inclined his head towards his son "Shino."

Shino perked up and sent a few bugs to where his father was indicating and, to his dismay but also gratitude, was glad that he brought it to his attention.

"Shall I direct them here?" Shibi asked.

Shino nodded. "I'll take up the slack."

Shibi shifted, sending new instructions to his kikai, while Shino established himself more firmly and sent more bugs to reinforce their defense. The white shinobi, like the keen predators they were, sensed the shift, and began flinging themselves at the kikai barrier in earnest. Soon, more and more began joining in, enough so that the other Aburames had to step up to meet the pressure.

Some were beginning to press in even further, and they soon realized that the white shinobi were using their own, living and dead, to help shield themselves from assault. The Aburames adjusted their tactics accordingly.

The kikai held, and the white shinobi were held back once more with more of them dead, but still more in reserve. It was then that Shino and the other Aburames received the signal from his father's kikai, and for just a few seconds, allowed a spot on the barrier to weaken ever so slightly, but adequately.

"GATSUUGA!"

Consecutively and en masse, a number of Inuzuka clan members shot through the weakened spot in the barrier, managing to also take some of the white shinobi down along the way. Once they were through the hole was immediately sealed and reinforced as more enemies began swarming the spot.

Shino glanced over, pleased that they managed to get in, and also pleased that an angry but very relieved Kiba and his family was among them.

"Shino! Glad to see you, buddy, but what the hell is going on here? Who are these freaks?" Kiba yelled.

"Now's not the best time to ask me, Kiba," Shino remarked as his brow furrowed deeper in concentration.

"Thank god… almost didn't make it." Inuzuka Hana was the last to get through, but that was because she was carrying more than her own weight.

Huddled in her coat and her arms were a little girl and an even smaller puppy. The Inuzuka girl has a slight bruise and a cut on her arm, but overall looked okay, even as she shook in sobs. The puppy was trembling and looked around in fear and uncertainty, licking at the girl's tears in an effort to comfort her. The one she'd just gotten yesterday.

"Are we safe now, Auntie?" the young Inuzuka asked tearfully.

Hana, her nerves frazzled but relieved, hugged and stroked the little girl in comfort and assurances. "Yeah, we're safe now, Rena. We're among friends now, so we'll be fine."

However, the Aburames weren't feeling as confident on the matter. With the knowledge that they now housed the Inuzukas as well, the white shinobi raged and pressed in even further, the kikai barrier holding them back as best as the Aburames as push them.

So focused were they that they almost didn't notice the enemy's actual strategy. Almost.

Using local trees as a base and their own numerous bodies as building material, the white shinobi had built up two large living towers of themselves, casting shadows on the Aburames and Inuzukas.

Shino and Shibi took a moment out of their intense concentration to stare.

"…Uhoh."

"…Clever."

And the two living towers began toppling down on top of the clan. Those around them pushed forward zealously.

The Aburames had to hold them back, with or without help. They had no choice, or they and everyone they were protecting would die.

-

-

"Report."

"Sir! A large concentration of the enemy is threatening to overwhelm the Aburame clan. We've confirmed that they are protecting some of the Inuzuka and other citizens of Konoha."

Kakashi nodded. "Alert squads eight and twenty, tell them to reinforce the Aburame clan immediately. Dismissed."

Kakashi stood planted on top of the Hokage building, because of it's high point and close proximity to most of the village. Kakashi himself stood at the peak so that he could be easily addressed, easily assess problems, and, if need be, he could immediately head to points throughout the village from where he was. The Anbu and jounin seamlessly accepted Kakashi's leadership and readily addressed him as his former title of Captain.

Without turning, Kakashi calmly but firmly gave out further orders to the Anbu already there around him on the roof, and to those forces who were just arriving.

"Squads three and seven, Northern district. Squad twenty-three, swap border control with squad fourteen. Squad nineteen, swap duty with squad five, tell them to divide up to brief the returning Anbu and jounins on the situation."

"Captain!" one cried, but it was too late. One of the enemy white shinobi had managed to hide from their detection and pounced upon Kakashi from behind with a shriek.

But the enemy never even got close. In one smooth motion, Kakashi spun with his katana, cleanly slicing the white ninja through the abdomen.

He didn't stop just stop there though. At the confusion of the Anbu, Kakashi swung up to a total of five clean and consecutive katana swipes at the empty air in lieu of the killing blow against the one enemy white shinobi.

Instead of one dead enemy at his feet, there were four.

The Anbu did their best to contain their shock as Kakashi calmly turned to them and firmly stated, "Remember the strategies. To your assignments!"

All Anbu left, and Kakashi briefly glanced at the four dead enemies at his feet.

Contrary to what the shinobi would no doubt believe, Kakashi didn't actually see the invisible enemies. Whatever strange technique these white shinobi employed, it still evaded his discerning Sharingan eye, leaving him just as vulnerable to everyone else.

However, Kakashi had by now calmed down considerably and his innate skills ran their course as Kakashi began to readily pick up on patterns of the enemy. They didn't seem to have an overarching strategy, but they definitely exhibited patterns, and every time Kakashi discovered a new one he made sure that everyone that was fighting knew it, too, and made full use of it. Even now, the various cells of chuunins and jounins were being informed on developments.

The first thing that Kakashi and in hindsight, everyone, learned about the enemy is that there were never as much as they saw. Regardless of how many they see or kill, there were always more.

This was demonstrated in Kakashi's kills just now. Those extra swipes were merely guesswork, but true to his instincts there were in fact more enemies in front of him than just the one. It was a difficult strategy for most of Konoha to follow up on, but it's granted them more kills than normal so it had credence.

Kakashi also made sure that the name of the enemy be passed along. Adoju-nins.

Without realizing it, Kakashi began to stumble onto the rooftop. He automatically grabbed onto a roof shilling, his eyes widening in shock as he felt his grip steadily weakening. He can't be losing strength, not now! It was from a combination of the amount of injuries and sheer exhaustion from meeting so many attacks and threats. But Kakashi had met every one! Kakashi was still standing. He had to keep fighting! If only he could just get back up…

"Captain!"

Kakashi immediately received assistance. One of the Anbu medics refused to leave him, but only because he stubbornly refused to rest and be healed. The best Kakashi allowed her to do was simple spot check healing and rejuvenation jutsus, but what he truly needed was a moment to stop and rest.

But Kakashi refused to do that! He cannot rest! Not now, not when there was so much left to do. He was still alive, but so was the enemy! It's already been hours of combat, but the enemy never tired, so he cannot, must not, become tired. He still had so much he had to do in the face of this mysterious invasion. He still had so much to do…

"Kakashi, allow me to step in. You must be healed." Gai and one other came up from behind a nearly collapsed Kakashi.

"I'm fine, Gai. I—"

"Have to rest," commanded the new voice. Kakashi turned around, and to his shock, stared into the aged and serious face of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya.

"Jiraiya… Why are you here?"

Jiraiya gave a slight smirk. "Really, can you think of any reason why I shouldn't be here?" His expression turned serious again. "But really, Kakashi, head to the hospital now. Gai and I will hold up the fort. You've done very good Kakashi. I've heard about what's been going on and what these things have been doing, and your insight and strategies in the face of this unknown enemy has saved many lives. We still need you, but you won't do us any good if you keel over on the spot."

Kakashi tiredly stared at Jiraiya, knowing full well that he was completely right. In truth, he knew this as well, but he couldn't help but stay. The image of his complete defeat and near defilement by the enemy was still fresh in his mind, and he knew full well that there were probably many more citizens and shinobi going through the exact same thing out there, right now, at this very moment.

He nodded. "I'll head to the hospital right away."

"Kakashi," Gai stopped him, and with dark eyes and a very grave voice said, "You need rest and healing, but you should also know that you being at the hospital may be very beneficial to those already there."

At first Kakashi couldn't comprehend what he meant until it finally sunk in, but rather than bring him down in shock and despair, Kakashi's mind filled with anger for not learning about it sooner, and his soul filled with even more hatred for the enemy. With new strength he leapt for the hospital in record time.

He arrived, only to find his dark fears were true.

-

-  
"Chouji, get him!"

"On it!"

With the speed of his Meat Tank technique, Chouji quickly moved to protect and retrieve Shikamaru, who somehow failed in his Kagemane no jutsu against the white shinobi. Immediately they encircled the fallen and weakened Shikamaru like a flock of vultures and at that sight Chouji was prompted to immediate action. Like a bowling ball, Chouji plowed through the crowd of invaders and once he was clear, gently picked up Shikamaru and leapt up with Ino onto the hospital roof.

Only to watch a new group of screeching invaders pounce upon them, seemingly out of the sky.

Ino shrieked and raised her arms in defense while Chouji protectively covered Shikamaru. Neither was necessary, however. The three of them received instant help in the form of a massive arm that swatted the swarm away, clearing the way for the Ino-Shika-Cho combo.  
"Dad!" cried Chouji in surprise and relief.

Akimichi Choza gave his son a brief grin before turning to face the threat. His currently humongous size and the powerful blows he landed were drawing a lot of attention from the enemy, which was actually beneficial as it drew a lot of enemies that could be picked off by Yamanaka Inoshi and Nara Shikato. Right now, the three older men, along with many other shinobi, were contributing to the defense of the Konoha hospital, which had quickly turned into a battlefield and a defense point that had to be defended at all costs.

Still, it wasn't easy. The shinobi struggled to fight effectively and to protect the wounded that still needed to make it inside. The older generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho combo had to learn the hard way what techniques and strategies worked and what didn't. What kept them alive was their long experience as shinobi and the help they were receiving in protecting the hospital and the area around it. Regardless, as fathers, they didn't want their children to be here fighting with them, but they were shinobi just like they were so it couldn't be helped.

There was a brief lapse in combat around and on top of the hospital which the defenders took as a momentary but well-needed break to regroup and gather their wits. "Shikamaru! You okay?" yelled Shikato from his position.

Shikamaru raised an arm, despite feeling feeble. "I'm just fine, old man." He then pointed at one of the dead white shinobi for emphasis, the strange invaders that had some strange resistance against the Nara clan's shadow techniques. "Is there something I'm not getting? I haven't figured it out yet, but it has something to do with their shadows."

Shikato shook his head. "I'm still figuring it out myself, but for now we'll have to lay off the clan techniques. But keep your eyes open, son. What we learn will prove invaluable to the rest of the village."

Shikamaru nodded seriously. It didn't matter how annoying or troublesome the situation was. They were being invaded, and people were dying, all to these weird white shinobi with the reflective masks and odd techniques. Their overall strategy and tactics seemed laughable, but their unique advantages and superb teamwork were giving them a very strong upper hand in a lot of fights. This new enemy was definitely a puzzle, but it was a puzzle that he and his father were going to solve. The village might depend on it. Ino, on the roof, caught a glint of something uncomfortably close to her father from the trees. Realizing that it had to be the enemy, Ino got into her stance and prepared her Mind Body technique that was unique to the Yamanaka clan.

Inoshi caught sight of her daughter and knew personally the folly of what she was doing. "No, Ino, stop!" he cried, but it was too late as Ino immediately extended and struck the enemy with the jutsu.

Ino succeeded and made mental contact with the enemy, but then was momentarily thrown off by the strangeness of it all. The mind of the white shinobi felt strangely… blank. There was a lot of room for Ino to mentally move around, but strangely crowded at the same time. It didn't even feel like a proper mind at all. It felt like a melding of several minds; nevermind that she never had such an experience, that's just how she described it. It just didn't feel human. It didn't think human.

Nevertheless, Ino succeeded in taking the body and moved a bit, feeling uncomfortable and claustrophobic in the sinewy and oddly proportioned body.

That was her mistake.

Her ears, the body's ears, hurt at the cacophony of screeches and shrieks that suddenly surrounded her, and like a swarm of ants they were suddenly all on her.

"AHHH!" Ino wailed in pain as she exploded back into her own body, but not before experiencing the horrific and scarring feeling of being ripped and torn apart, skin and bones, limb from limb…

"INO!" Her teammates and her father Inoshi immediately joined her side, doing their best to keep her from instinctually flailing and twitching in vestigial pain.

Something caught Chouji's eye, and when he turned to get a better look he immediately felt like throwing up, which made the two generations of the Ino-Shika-Cho team aware of what was happening.

The group that Ino had spotted weren't even bothering to hide now, but currently they were preoccupied in behavior so obscene that it made every witness sick. Even after Ino had abandoned the shinobi, they still tore at it with purpose. As they watched, more of the enemy flocked to the scene and the first group methodically and brutally tore out bones from the dead shinobi, one after the other. Then, almost nonchalantly, each bone was handed out to each of the invaders that weren't armed with anything. Some tested their weight while others snapped the bones to a sharp point.

The Konoha shinobi could nothing but stare in horrific fascination as the white shinobi mutilated the dead one down to nothing but a bloody pile of flesh, all the while painting themselves in the sheer amount of shed blood and arming themselves _with the bones_. If they were able, they'd notice a second group of the invaders deliberately doing the same thing to one of their own, for even more bones.

They did not waste their dead. With the utter mutilation of one of their own numbers, they had effectively added more lethal weapons to their arsenal.

Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji, their fathers, and other defenders of the hospital were rapidly losing their courage and morale in the face of this monstrous tactic. Shrieks and sharp clicks filled the air as the bloodied white shinobi closed in. They almost didn't notice the sharp twang of harpoons being fired atop the hospital, securing firm lines to the building that could be used to more speedily reach the Konoha shinobi.

From the sky, shuriken and kunai flew, cutting several of the lines, making both sides falter.

Landing atop the roof among the Konoha shinobi was a stone cold Kakashi and a squad of ready Anbu, and he wasted no time whatsoever.

"Squads six and fourteen are on their way to reinforce the area! Squad two, half of you divide up and provide help and instruction against the enemy, the other half comes inside with me!"

"Why take forces inside the hospital, Kakashi?" Inoshi demanded.

Kakashi gave the defenders a dark look before quickly heading inside. His final words to them were, "Believe me when I say that this can't be this easy…"

-

-

"Please hold still, this'll only take a minute!"

"Dammit… hurry it up! I need to be out there, helping my comrades!"  
"I know, I know, but please, cooperate, or you'll do them no good!"

The Anbu on the hospital bed was anxious, but knew he needed the aid of the medic-nin treating him now. Really, he should be grateful that he's getting such help in such a tense time. All the hospital staff were stretched thin as more and more shinobi began to come in for healing. The fact that he was finally getting treatment meant that he can get back up sooner to fight, even though he was frightened, the first time he's been frightened in a while. He's had his fill of many enemy shinobi on even more lethal missions, but never had he seen ninjas pulling off the insane moves and stunts that these white shinobi did, or take out his arm in a way it was never injured before.

The medic-nin was frightened, too, frightened beyond her mind. This was her first week as a certified medic-nin and this invasion happens. She didn't know what was going on or who this strange new enemy was. All she knew is that shinobi began coming in with horrific injuries and terrifying accounts of the invading monsters that did this to them, and that continued to do so even now. The patient she now treated was more than enough of a testament; both of his arms freely bled from either deep yet minuscule cuts, or missing chunks of flesh. She took away the pain and stopped the bleeding. Tsunade-sama in the past month had taught them all a new jutsu that could regenerate small amounts of lost flesh. It wasn't too difficult, but it needed steady time.

"Alright, I'm almost done, I just need to—"

The Anbu and the medic-nin both heard it. It was more than enough.

Showing surprising initiative, the medic-nin grabbed her patient's katana and stabbed directly up, straight into the ventilation shaft above them.

A shriek and a squirt of blood was what followed. Followed by a rumbling and a series of sharp clicks from above.

The medic-nin's face paled and she gaped in horror. She barely heard the Anbu's demands to get the hell out. She didn't realize that she was running out with the patient in tow. But she was cognitive enough to hear the inhumane shrieks and the tearing of metal behind her as she ran into the hall. And she screamed.

"THEY'RE HERE!"

-

-

The chuunin, jounin and Anbu defenders of the hospital thought they had the complex secure. They were completely confident that no matter what, they would at least keep the hospital and the needed medic staff safe. They were horribly mistaken.

The Adoju-nins poured out from the ventilation shaft, bent on killing and terrorizing those in the hospital. As if on cue, even more poured in, from more ventilation shafts, from unattended windows, from hollow spaces in the walls, and even from the flooring. Small numbers at first, but more steadily came.

Everyone was in a panic. The enclosed spaces were no longer safe, but neither was much of the hospital. Before those outside realized what was happening, the Adoju-nins attacked from within, in swarms.

It was here that the medic-nins truly shined. All patients had to be defended. Shedding the images of healers, the medics demonstrated that they, too, were shinobi of Konoha. As they gathered up all the patients together as safely as they could, the medic-nins took up the scrolls, kunai, and katanas of their patients, using them to efficient effect and defending the hospital with their lives. The Adoju-nins came at them as they frantically moved their patients, but were immediately cut down or forced back.

They held their ground long enough for the defenders to rush in, but it was already too late for some. All throughout, medic and patient alike fell to the surprise attack. Patients, already crippled and wounded, were snatched away or overwhelmed on the spot, distracting the medic-nins and allowing the enemies openings to attack and kill them as well. Medic-nins were torn apart in front of their very eyes, prompting even the weak and the injured to contribute to the firepower to hold them at bay, throwing their tags and kunai as they retreated further back. And they had to retreat further in. Medic, patient, and defender alike backed up further and further in the face of the shrieks, stains of blood, and blood-spattered reflections of the bone white masks of the enemy as they approached closer and closer in…

CRASH…

BOOOM!

Tsunade had enough.

Everyone looked back up to see their Hokage in her full glory, standing before a long corridor of shattered rubble, destruction, and death where there was just a horde of the enemy. Like a savior angel, sunlight shone upon her from where she broke through the roof.

As the dust cleared, what survivors there were among the white shinobi staggered back up and looked at what had done that to them.

Like a rock, Tsunade stood firm, her form radiating powerful chakra like never before, her face contorted in rage and sorrow, rightfully so. There was absolutely no way she was going to hold back on them.

They still came at her in all their shrieking zeal.

With the fury of an angry goddess, Tsunade wound up her fist and punched full out, sending the remaining forces back out the hole she already made in the building, in pieces.

For a moment none of the medics, patients, or defenders spoke, until Tsunade whipped around to glare at them. Immediately and with firm order, she pointed at each of the patients specifically.

"You, you and you, to the basement! You, second floor! You, get patched up and head to the roof! The rest of you, to the cafeteria! NOW!"

They followed without question, the medics and defenders aiding the patients to get where they need to be. That left Tsunade with a few seconds to pause and reflect before she had to go back to work. She couldn't afford to stay still too long, or else everything would threaten to weigh her down at once.

In lieu with expelling the incursion by the white invaders, the Adoju-nins (Is that right? The name was passed along from word of mouth from one of the Anbu), most of the fighting against the enemy was taking place on the roof. Many of the Adoju-nins seemed drawn to the hospital, and the chuunin and jounin defenders were doing their best to draw all of them to the top. Despite the dangers from fighting, it was relatively secure for those that had freedom of movement and were able to fight. The hospital basement held the most security and privacy, and it's where most of the long-term care patients were taken. Those that needed immediate care were held at the second floor, the most secure floor as of now. Everyone else had to be in the cafeteria. It was the least secure and the least safe, but it had the most room and could hold the most people.

Tsunade headed back to the second floor, doing her best to ignore the sight and stench of blood that always bothered her and that right now was everywhere. She tried not to look too hard at their dead, those medics and patients that couldn't be saved. For right now, she had to care for the living. It was the only thing she could do.

Right now, Tsunade's main focus was on those on the second floor. Those that needed immediate care were tended to by the villages' best medic-nins, Shizune, and herself. Most shinobi that came in managed to leave as well, though a few had to remain.

The second floor was a chaotic mess, but at least things were getting done. It was clear that the invaders had attacked even here, but the defense was formidable and the white shinobi were driven out. Even as Tsunade stepped back onto the floor, more patients were ready and moving out, while even more were being brought in, all the while moving over and around those already dead. In contrast to the fresh carnage and wreckage on the floor just above, this floor smelled of sweat, stale blood, new and used linens, and constantly re-sterilized medical equipment.

Tsunade readily spotted Sakura speedily and skillfully tending to the wounded, stressed and exhausted, but the most efficient junior medic-nin on the floor. She caught a glimpse of her taking a soldier pill, a risky commodity if not used in moderation.

Tsunade frowned, but said nothing. Now was not the time to scold Sakura, especially when she needed to stay focused, as well as every bit of chakra she can muster.

Shizune popped out of a room, immediately spotting Tsunade. "Tsunade-sama! We need you here!"

"A moment, Shizune!" Tsunade took a minute of her time to manage and heal a particularly mangled jounin that had just come in. After making sure he was stable, she immediately followed Shizune into the room where Tsunade had to make regular visits.

Inside the room was no less frantic than outside it, but it held an innate air of helplessness as the medics tried and failed time and time again to get the patient back up.

This is the room that held Tanya.

In hindsight, the Konoha staff actually did a decent job, but it was only with the help of Shizune and Tsunade that they were able to get Tanya to the state that she was in now. However, it only seemed to be a temporary solution and Tanya's body kept threatening to lapse into complete shutdown.

When they had brought Tanya in, Tsunade gave no say over who wanted to help and who didn't; those that Tsunade selected where the ones to give aid, else they had their medic license revoked and be sent to the front lines to battle.

A particularly harsh punishment, but at the time, Tsunade meant it.

Tanya came in as an utter wreck. They didn't know how much effort Tanya put in to hamper and deaden the first wave of the invasion, but it showed all over. She was unconscious and heavy, and seemed to sport every injury known to man, but her body somehow remained functioning, if erratically. They got her skin patched back up with great difficulty, since her scaled skin was thicker, tougher, and just different. Tanya's blood was much closer to human, but plain human blood lacked the inherent strength that Tanya's own unique blood held, so most of what lost blood they could replace would most likely not be able to rejuvenate her.

Those weren't enough to sow the seeds of doubt over any success into the medic team and Tsunade, until the team tried to address the mystery of how Tanya's circulatory system was still pumping blood when there was obviously a harpoon crudely pierced clear through her no longer functioning heart.

Tsunade had performed a rudimentary surgical jutsu on Tanya, only to discover that Tanya's body had an honest to god fully functional heart available. A second heart. A second heart that was working overtime to keep Tanya alive.

After that, things became much more complicated and confusing.

The medic team, Shizune, and even Tsunade herself were way out of their league. They struggled to keep Tanya alive and breathing because they couldn't manipulate her body like they could with a normal human being. The discovery of a second heart, and quite likely a vastly different body complex, had shaken the team's confidence and served as a stark reminder to Tsunade of the alien nature of Tanya.

What could be said about it? Tsunade had little idea over how to take proper care of Tanya because she didn't even know exactly what she was. It wasn't her fault, but she wasn't going to let Tanya die over it.

So far all they were able to do was keep her sustained, but she kept dropping further. Tsunade would regularly check back up on her while making her rounds.

Tanya would initially look quite peaceful in her unconscious state, but up close Tsunade can see the skin tremble and the chest rise in difficult breaths. She was hanging in there, but it was clearly difficult.

Much to her surprise, this visit to the room had Kakashi as a guest. Tsunade didn't even notice him come in, but she was able to tell right away, from his old wounds and new, and from old blood to fresh blood, that he had been diligently defending Konoha, even here at the hospital. He sat in a corner being tended to by Shizune. Though he looked like an exhausted wreck, his face looked mildly torn and split between two major concerns: the forces outside, and the patient right next to him.

Kakashi, obviously tired, still spoke in a good-natured but subtly dark voice when he stated, "With all due respect, Hokage-sama, I think your staff is starting to lose their good will and faith over the situation."

Tsunade stared at him for a moment before turning to her nervous medic staff. "His statement seems to be implying something that I know I'm not going to like," she said plainly but with warning in her eyes as she moved to pick up the slack on Tanya's life support via chakra.

One nervous yet brave medic-nin spoke. "Hokage-sama, you must understand that this is taxing all of us. We are making no progress on the patient, and even our attempts at simply supporting her are beginning to fail."

Tsunade grew frustrated. She was not going to have Tanya die on her watch. She kept emphasizing her importance to the medics not only as an individual in need, but also as a major asset to the village at this critical time. But beyond all that, Tsunade now saw Tanya as her friend. She wasn't going to let her down.

"Come on, people! Have you been scanning her? Have you made any progress at all on figuring out how her bodily systems run?"

"It's too difficult, Hokage-sama. What little we've figured out can't help us save her. From what we can already understand of her body, she shouldn't even be alive!"

Kakashi coughed obviously. "I don't know about you, but she looks awfully alive to me," he stated plainly with an emphasizing gaze on Tanya's sedated form.

The medics had nothing to say to that.

With a bit of effort Kakashi stood up, despite not feeling particularly refreshed or healthy yet with Shizune's impromptu treatment. He leaned in and indicated for Tsunade's private ear, to which she leaned in a bit and complied with listening to Kakashi's whispered suggestion

Tsunade frowned and immediately disapproved until she gave it some thought. What Kakashi was saying was that at the moment Tanya would be best under the care of just Tsunade and Shizune as opposed to in addition to the medic team that Tsunade selected, seeing it as a waste of effective energy. On the face of it, it did seem true. The medic team did what they could and now all that could be done was sustain Tanya with chakra and figure out how to fix her, which was something that didn't need as much people, and Tsunade would be able to get a better idea of Tanya's body and systems. Though Kakashi is long from being at his prime, he had enough strength in him to be able to contribute.

What made Tsunade agree with the idea, though, was the sense that Kakashi had some other serious purpose in making the medic team leave.

Tsunade nodded to herself, until she straightened herself up and gave her medic team a discerning look. "You've done well, all of you. What I need you to do now is go out and perform your duties as normal in this crisis. I would greatly appreciate it if one of you get a hold of Haruno Sakura and tell her to join me in here."

Though a few members were no doubt relieved to be let off for the moment, all of them still understood the seriousness of the situation and their duties as medic-nins. Some of the team went straight out into the second floor hall for immediate treatment, while others used translocation jutsus to take them either to the roof or straight in the fray of battle in Konoha.

This was all too frustrating! Konoha was holding its own, but the longer they fight, the weaker their effective strength becomes. Tsunade and Kakashi had little doubt over which side would outlast the other.

Once the room was clear with only Tsunade, Shizune, Kakashi, and a prone Tanya, Tsunade turned to Kakashi. "Alright, Kakashi. What's the big idea?"

Kakashi looked around, keenly eyeing his surroundings and he moved to a few spaces away from the open but barred window where he could see glimpses of battle in the distance and the efforts of the defenders nearby.

"Is this room secure," Kakashi asked as he inclined his head back to Tsunade.

"The defenders outside are doing an adequate job, and between the three of us we can keep Tanya safe. Why?"

Kakashi closed his eyes and held up his chin in thought. "Well… It seems to me that—"

With the speed and precision of an elite shinobi, Kakashi swung around and grasped with both hands two seemingly empty spots on the wall. Tsunade and Shizune reared back in defense as it became obvious that Kakashi was clearly holding onto something unseen but definitely on the wall in the room. Could it be the mysterious enemy that managed to sneak in?

That's what Kakashi suspected until he got a good grasp of what it was he was holding onto, and soon, the invisible occupants made themselves visible and known.

Kakashi blinked a few times. Nonchalantly he asked, "Well… Now where have I seen you two before?"

"Tsunade-sama," Sakura opened the door, "I came immediately like you… asked…"

Kakashi looked up from his task with a smile on his face, "Sakura, would you be a dear and close the door? Tanya needs her privacy you know."

Sakura stared agape until his words registered and she hastily shut the door behind her, still staring. "Uh, Kakashi-sensei… Are those…? By any chance are those Tanya's friends?"

"Perceptive, the pink-haired one is."

"Whaddup, chica!"

"Shut up, idiot, you're the one that got us caught."

"I'm just getting friendly with the locals!"

Kakashi had two large lizards both by the neck. The one in his right had a smooth shiny skin with wild vivid shades of yellow and violet, and had a large frill on its head like a Mohawk. The other one had pebbly robin's egg blue skin with orange speckles and tendrils under its nose and chin that looked like a long beard and mustaches. They both wore vests with Kanji characters for 'Lizard Prince.' Both having intelligent eyes, they hardly struggled in Kakashi's grip despite being held at the neck.

"Sakura, I'd like you to meet…" Kakashi gave the two lizards a discerning eye. "You know, I don't think I ever caught your names."

Kakashi promptly tilted his head to dodge a tongue flick.

"Yeah? Well we know you! You're perverted Kakashi, the Dude who ganked Dudette!" The wild one pointed accusingly. Kakashi raised an appraising eyebrow at the declaration.

Sakura hastily stepped forward, "Please excuse my sensei, but I would very much like to know your names."

The wild vibrant lizard leered at her before responding, "Toko!"

"Gomo," the sagely one responded in turn. "May we please be released?" Kakashi generously let go of their necks to stand on their own feet.

Tsunade glared at Toko and Gomo, miffed for several reasons. "How long have you been hiding in here?" she demanded.

"Hey!" Toko made an offensive gesture towards Tsunade. "I'll have you know that we only just got here on our third visit!" Gomo looked rather exasperated, but did nothing to put Toko down. Everyone else in the room looked rather surprised, though some were skeptical.

"Third visit?" Kakashi audibly mused. "You must have some impressive stealth skills."

Gomo shrugged. "If you want to see real skills you should look at him," Gomo pointed straight up. "He's been with Tanya the entire time."

Everyone stared at the blank ceiling. They blinked once, and suddenly there was a giant chameleon sprawled sticking to the ceiling plain as day, which made everyone but the lizards rear.

"I was wondering why the fan didn't work…" Tsunade grumbled before turning her infuriated glare towards the other two. "And all you've been doing is sit here and watch Tanya suffer?!"

Now it was their turn to glare. "Shut it, Dinosaur! I oughta strangle you by your nappy-ass—"  
Gomo promptly smacked Toko out of the way of Tsunade's wrathful kick, which had kicked up a small gust in the room. Gomo spoke up while Tsunade reeled in her temper and Toko gathered his wits. "What Toko meant to say was that you should be grateful of us, Tanya especially. We did much to soften the first blow of the Adoju-nin army, though our combined power is hardly enough to defeat it altogether. As it stands, the three of us are the only lizard summons left standing. When we're not here keeping an eye on Tanya, Toko and I go out and discreetly assist your forces in battle without them seeing us."

"Why hide?"

"We never got permission to be seen."

Tsunade huffed, getting overly anxious. "I am grateful of Tanya, and of yourselves if what you say is true. I can also understand your need to keep watch over Tanya even when she's in our care. What angers me is the fact that you're doing nothing to help Tanya to recover while my medics and I are working our asses off to keep everyone alive, Tanya especially!"

Tsunade took slow firm steps right up to the two lizards, towering over their short forms. "Tell me, do you have the means in which to save Tanya!"

Toko and Gomo glanced at each other in a serious manner. Gomo gave a nod, which Toko returned. "Yes, we do have the means to save Tanya."

Tsunade fumed. All this time, the help that they needed most was right there hidden next to them. "Then why don't you share it?! Are you going to let Tanya die?!"

Toko rubbed the back of his head while Gomo impudently crossed his arms. "It's complicated."

"How complicated can a life in peril be?!"

"Calm down, Granny," Toko spoke in what passed as a serious tone for him. "You wouldn't get it, but we've been arguing over it because of what Tanya might think, you know."

Gomo elaborated, "We have the means to save Tanya, yes, but it is an extremely personal matter with Tanya. Extremely personal and extremely painful. She let us know that before, over and over that she would rather die than to let such means be seen by anyone at all, sometimes by even herself."

Gomo stepped up to a shocked Tsunade. "Do you understand, Ms. Hokage? It doesn't matter how Toko and I feel, or even how you all feel, but entirely on how Tanya feels. If you can imagine, it has made us feel rather conflicted."

The room was silent, stunned by the severity and intricate complexity of the summons, but more shaken by the further understanding they gained on Tanya.

Gomo continued, "There are many reasons why Tanya should live. Despite her age, she still has a much longer time on this world. She carries knowledge that no one else on this land holds, and is the carrier of several legacies that probably she isn't fully aware of. What's more…" Gomo glanced at Toko, who had a grim expression. "What's more, Tanya carries the only contract in existence with our branch of lizards. She is the first, only, and quite likely last person to have a contract with our caste of the creatures that you shinobi summon to your aid everyday. Once Tanya is gone, so are we."

That left the shinobi silent. Kakashi in particular seemed troubled by it.

"But realize that none of that matters. All that matters is that Tanya does not want to share any of that with the world because of what it means to her, and how much of her life is defined by it, and she hates it. We can save her life, but would she really, truly, be grateful for it when she realizes that the only reason she lived was because we shared her secrets?"

Tsunade, Shizune, Sakura and Kakashi were momentarily rendered silent by this rush of information given to them by Tanya's summons. The way they brought it up, the conflict that the summons felt seemed to make sense to the shinobi in the room.

It was Sakura who finally spoke up, surprising everyone. "We know how important secrets are and how much they can break a person, but we don't care. We don't care about her intimate secrets, and neither are we interested in sharing them with the world. The only thing that matters right now is that we don't want to see our friend die."

Everyone's eyes widened a bit by the bold statement, but then the other three shinobi stood firm in agreement.

"She's right," Tsunade spoke with calm warmth. "She hasn't been here long, but she's absolutely right. Tanya is a friend to us, to all of us. And to me. I don't want her blood on my hands. Do you really want them on yours?"

Toko and Gomo looked thoughtful on the matter before Kakashi himself spoke up. "I don't know if Tanya trusts us, or me for that matter, but I trust her, and so I'll trust you two as well. It's entirely up to you."

The two summons looked really uncomfortable now. Gomo looked at Toko inquiringly while Toko seemed to silently and desperately implore Gomo with his eyes. Gomo then sighed, then nodded, then both lizards stood tall and firm, looking hard at each of the shinobi in turn. "Nothing, absolutely nothing, leaves this room. None of you leave this room until it's all over."

Everyone firmly nodded.

Toko and Gomo promptly turned to each other and quickly made a series of handseals, and they both channeled their energy to the wall next to them.

There was a large poof of smoke as a summoning technique was performed. Once the smoke cleared, there leaning on the wall was an old ornate scroll cabinet, sealed at the opening.

Toko and Gomo stepped forward and channeling with a handseal, releasing the seal on the cabinet. When that was finished, they both reached inside, each pulling out two scrolls each. Carefully, they handed the scrolls to Tsunade.  
"These are what you need, Hokage, and only what you need."

Everyone looked expectantly at Tsunade. Not knowing what to expect, she carefully unfurled one scroll.

"…"

"Tsunade-sama… Are you alright?"

The question was well founded. Tsunade herself looked haunted and her hands shook as she beheld the contents of the scroll she held. Her heart beat faster and her skin grew cold as it slowly registered in her mind just what exactly it was that she was holding in her hands.

She promptly closed that scroll and glanced inside another one. And then another one, and then the other one.

Tsunade stared at the scrolls in her reach, then stared at the scroll cabinet itself, fantastic images of just what else might lie in that cabinet playing through her head. In that moment she understood all too well why Tanya would have wanted to keep the scrolls hidden from the world. Whatever made up the sum total of that cabinet it must have held a vast amount of information and power, and answers, which all the wrong people could and would be able to abuse and take advantage of.

But right now Tsunade didn't see it like that. The scrolls she had in her hands didn't mean power to her at all, but the one thing that she needed to do what she and everyone has been trying so hard to do.

The shinobi waited in apprehension as Tsunade quickly hardened her resolve and moved behind her with the scrolls to the empty wall, and the two lizards quickly locked the door and closed the blinds to the window.

Almost in a flourish, Tsunade unfurled all the scrolls that were handed to her and promptly stuck them all on the walls for all the occupants to see.

Kakashi stared wide-eyed in slow shock. Shizune and Sakura gasped loudly. They immediately felt ashamed and embarrassed. This was clearly something none of them were meant to see, but Tsunade was right. These would save Tanya.

_The Hybrid Scrolls, as written by The Doctor:_

_Part Six, Concepts and Properties of Hanyou Blood Manipulation and Replication._

_Part Four, Complete Nervous System Manipulation and Restoration, Subject Tanya._

_Part Three, Complete Inner Coils System and Chakra Manipulation, Subject Tanya._

_Part Two, Complete and Comprehensive Anatomy and Surgical Procedures, Subject Tanya._

"We… we can use these to save Tanya…"

-

-

_This was where Kisa was the happiest at times._

_Secretly, Kisa didn't like to be around her Clan, but it was here in her mother's room that she could relax and enjoy herself. She loved to play with her mother; she loved her friends, but she loved being around mother best. She was different than the rest of the Clan, like Kisa was different, and she never failed to make Kisa happy._

_Kisa had a new toy, an odd puzzle contraption that she received on an earlier date, a weird spherical mesh of rods and rings that could be changed into one massive ring somehow. So far her mother and her Aniki were able to solve it, and no doubt most other members of the Clan can solve it, too, but Kisa still struggled with it everyday. _

_Kisa looked up from her spot on the floor at mother, who gave her a reassuring smile, a vote of confidence that Kisa would no doubt get it._

_Her mother was sick. She didn't know what she was sick with, but mother always had to stay in her room. To Kisa, she didn't look sick, but she didn't mind since she could see mother whenever she wanted to. Like all of her Clan, she was free to go about the Mansion as she pleased, even if she didn't like to._

_It was then that Aniki stepped into the room. Kisa smiled upon seeing him, but mother's smile was a bit weaker. Aniki and mother respected and spoke to each other, but sometimes Kisa wondered if maybe Aniki didn't like their mother. She could never work up the courage to ask, though she knew she should. The whole Nakada Clan praised Aniki in all his giftedness and talent, but to Kisa, Aniki was still Aniki, and that would never change._

_"Aniki, may you show me another hint? It's the last one for today, I promise."_

_Aniki gave a small smile, kindly pointing out a single rod with ease, which Kisa immediately pounced upon with revelation and satisfaction. She felt very happy with her progress, and glancing up she could tell, so did mother._

_"Mother, may I have Aniki tell me another story?"_

_Mother couldn't help but chuckle at the childish pleasure, and she looked up at Aniki as if to ask if it was okay with him._

_Aniki did nothing for a moment, but then gave a shrug and agreed to it._

_They sat, her and Aniki, and he asked her in his gentle voice, what story would you like to hear?_

_"I want to hear the story about the Adoju-nins."_

_To this Aniki looked perplexed. He asked why she wanted to hear such a dark and scary story._

_Kisa told him that it wasn't scary at all, not when Aniki told it. She knew that in the story, the Nakada Clan won. She knew that as long as she was with her Clan, that as long as it was Aniki that was telling the story, then Kisa would be protected and safe, and the Adoju-nins would never, ever, find her._

-

-

There was an invasion, and people were dying. Everywhere, there was always someone fighting, someone dying. The air was thick with the noise of battle, and it smelled of death and fear. Like the invasion years prior, Konoha was in a flurry of activity and chaotic battle.

But here, in the abandoned Uchiha sector of Konoha, no battle raged, no blood was spilled. As it always has been since that fateful day, the Uchiha sector remained cold, silent, and empty.

Nothing had changed, not even now.

Sasuke had not taken part in the battle whatsoever. All his time was spent jumping from safehouse to safehouse with Kisa in tow.

They were after her. He didn't know why or how he knew, he just knew, and he made sure to keep Kisa out of sight as much as possible because of it.

Unbeknownst to the village and his friends, Sasuke had been secretly setting up personal and private shinobi safehouses all throughout Konoha village and a few places bordering it. With a system of seals and specialized summoning, Sasuke could uses scrolls to transport himself to any nearby safehouse where he wouldn't be able to be detected by Konoha. They included abandoned buildings, sewer chambers, unused attics, caverns in the earth, and even outposts used and abandoned by Orochimaru that Konoha had not discovered yet.

However, so far, the strange new enemy kept finding where he and all his safehouses were. Sometimes it took them a while, giving Sasuke time to catch his breath and recover. Other times they found him so soon all Sasuke could do was prepare to transport to the next safehouse. All this was made more difficult by the fact that he was dragging Kisa with him everywhere he went. She was feverous, delirious, and just acting mentally ill. During this time, Sasuke didn't pay much attention to what it is that Kisa would be saying. It just wasn't important for the time being.

And now, the enemy had discovered all of Sasuke's safehouses, all except for one, and that one was his most hidden and most secure, the vast concrete basement of an Uchiha manor, with extra seals and jutsus in place taught to him by Orochimaru that would keep all living presences and chakra sources hidden even from the Hokage.

Sasuke didn't know how long he'd be able to hide. He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want his thoughts to fall on the fact that he was running and hiding. He felt the telltale urges to act out and prove his worth, but he also felt another strange, alien and powerful feeling; the feeling of just wanting to do nothing.

Do nothing and be worthless. That was not what Uchiha Sasuke does, and never has been.

And yet, where is his drive? His passion? The Uchiha flame that burns within all warriors of the Uchiha Clan?

He's an Uchiha. Returning to Konoha has starkly reminded him of that fact, and yet, before he had returned to Konoha, it never seemed to be something that Sasuke needed to think about.

But even then, Sasuke remained an Uchiha, didn't he?

Like a shoulder angel, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Kisa asked him, 'And what does it mean to be an Uchiha, I wonder?'

Another voice that sounded like Itachi seemed to say, 'Why bother, it's not like he's been taught what it means to be Uchiha.'

Sasuke looked up from his crouch, half-seeing if his imagination had any merit, and just gazed around the concrete walls of the basement of one of the Manors of his Clan.

"What am I doing here?"

No one was there to answer, not even any imaginary voices.

He slowly got up as if in a daze.

Maybe Kisa would have an answer.

Sasuke moved to another room in the basement where he left Kisa alone with a bit of food and some water. He didn't want to starve her, after all.

He quietly, yet audibly opened the door to Kisa's room.

His first question that came to mind was where the hell Kisa got a black marker.

Scribbles, no, scrawling ran all around the blank concrete of the wall, the same scrawling that always seemed to follow and be around Kisa whenever Sasuke would see Kisa at her most tense. They ran all along the floor, the walls, and even the ceiling (How did Kisa draw up there when she wasn't even tall enough?).

It was the same scrawling as always before, and they still made no sense to Sasuke. However, as he looked, he imagined somehow that somewhere in that nonsense there were words and images that Kisa would leave behind. Maybe they told a story. Maybe it was just Kisa. Maybe the scrawling conveyed an idea that just couldn't be told in simple pictures and words. Kisa did have a poor grasp on speech and symbolism, after all.

And there, on the far wall was Kisa, diligently working to add further onto her unique writing, eyes aglow a baleful green, clearly lost in her own demented world.

Sasuke realized that Kisa was speaking something, and he made the effort to hear.

_"…Abruptly I become convinced that the world is alive and trying to communicate with me…"_

Sasuke frowned. What?

"_A pressure at the back of my head makes me turn, and in their pocket universe, two vast fish glide towards one another… and make the sign of Pisces… the astrological symbol of Trial and Initiation. Death and Rebirth…_"

Kisa was speaking again in that voice that seemed adrift and going nowhere, a voice that was hers, yet wasn't.

_"…I have been shown the path. I must follow where it leads. Like Parsifal, I must confront the unreason that threatens me. I must go alone into the Dark Tower. Without a backward glance. And face the Dragon within._"

As she kept speaking, her gaze slowly and steadily lifted upwards and upwards.

"_I have only one fear. What if I am not strong enough to defeat it? What then? It takes hold of me. I feel small and afraid. Perhaps I've done the wrong thing."_

"_Somewhere, not far away, the dragon hauls its terrible weight through the corridors of the asylum. I am borne up on a wave of perfect terror._"

"_And the world explodes."_

_"There is nothing to hold onto."_

_"No anchor."_

_"Panic-stricken, I flee."_

_"I run blindly through the madhouse."_

_"And I cannot even pray."_

_"For I have no God."_

_"None divine to protect me."_

_"Doors open and close, applauding my flight. Keyholes bleed. A choir of sexually maimed children sings my name over and over again…"_

_"I'm falling."_

_"Oh Mother, what tree is this?"_

_"What wounds are these?"_

_"I am Attis on the pine. Christ on the cedar. Odin on the world-ash."_

_"Hung on the windy tree for nine whole nights wounded with the spear, dedicated to Odin."_

_"Myself to myself. I must see my reflection to prove I still exist. Outside, I hear the Dragon coming closer, closer. Desperately, I peel the tape from the mirror, breaking my fingernails, strip by strip._

_"Until I stand revealed in the glass. And I stare into old familiar eyes."_

_"Mother!"_

"…"

_"I must have fainted, for it is morning when next I open my eyes. No longer able to tell where the Dragon ended. And I begin."_

_"Yet am I not the Hero, the Man of Destiny? Have I not confronted the Great Dragon? Where then is my grail? My treasure horde?"_

_"My final reward…?_"

Kisa stopped then. She very slightly, and heavily, turned her head back down, and towards Sasuke, as if being slowly brought to Earth.

"Where did you hear that?" Sasuke half-whispered.

Kisa stood still, her mind outside of her body. "It's part of a parable, written a long time ago. It was the last written words of a now extinct clan, a clan of artisans and poets. Poets, of all things…"

Kisa looked up towards the ceiling and slowly pointed. "I don't know why, a piece of the explanation must be buried in my mind, but I can see the parable around me… It plays out outside, just right outside, Uchiha-san…"

She turned more fully towards Sasuke so that he could get a better look at her. She looked more self-aware, but her gaze was still hopelessly adrift.

"They think they're going to win."

Sasuke started. "Are you talking about Konoha?"

"…I can see it, and so can you, should you care to look…"

Kisa turned upward. "It mingles in the air. They know the name. They fought their battles. Slowly, but surely, they gain more and more victories. The enemy dwindles down further, their movements becoming more predictable. They continue to fight, and gain back their home, paying blood for each plot of land, but soon, very soon, the tides will turn, the enemy will be spurned, and they shall rise victorious…"

Kisa's expression darkened as it changed to show deep sorrow and pain.

"…They think they're going to win…"

She was talking about the past. That's what Sasuke realized. She was talking about the past, but in direct relation to the present.

Kisa knows the enemy. Kisa knows the outcome.

Kisa's face began to leak mild tears as her hands trembled in phantom pain. "We didn't want anyone to die, but what could we have done then… They didn't listen to us, Uchiha-san… That's what they told me. They didn't listen, and so they died. It was only until our hand was forced that we so shared our knowledge, our vision of victory… but the Eyes, and the Blood… so much blood we could have saved… But in the end, after all our sacrifices, by the whim of the divine and infernal, we survived, and we won. Over time, they forgot. Everyone forgot, but we never did, and neither did they, the monsters, the ones after our Eyes and Blood. We remembered what happened, and what could happen, and even if we shared no bond with anyone else, we knew that should trying times arrive, we would do the good thing, and share our vision once again…"

Kisa's green eyes widened in slow horror, her thin form shaking uncontrollably.

"But… but… _Where are we now?!_"

Kisa stared knife-deep into Sasuke, stricken, her mind lost in her delirium.

"We're not here… we're all gone and not here… how can we keep our promise if we're not here?!?! We're gone, but the Hunger remains, and it's all around us even now…!"

Kisa clutched her head, "I can't remember, Aniki… I can't remember the story… The story… how did it end…? I can't remember how it ends! No one is here to tell me! How will I know the ending if no one is here to tell me the story?!?!"

"SHUT UP!"

Kisa collided with the wall, propelled by the vicious hook that jarred her head.

For a long time, Kisa just leaned there. Weakly, trembling, Kisa slowly reached up to her head where she now bled, and slowly turned her head up in building fright at Sasuke.

Sasuke punched her again, this time sending her to the floor. He kicked her hard in the stomach. Kisa screamed in agony with the impact.

For a brief moment, Sasuke was just as lost as Kisa. He kept kicking her, over and over, in the stomach, on the chest, on her limbs, never letting up. All his frustrations, all his confusions, all his fear and anger, in that brief moment, Sasuke just let it all out in the only way he knew how. The sounds of flesh hitting flesh filled the room.

And then he stopped, just as suddenly as he started. Saliva dripped from his mouth, his face was red and heated, and he struggled to breathe in easy breaths.

Kisa laid at his feet, abused and broken, wracking in sharp pains and equally sharp sobs. "W-Why are you hurting me…?"

"I said SHUT UP!"

Sasuke grabbed Kisa by the neck and slammed her against the wall, pinning her in place. He brought his face right up to hers.

"THERE IS NO ONE! No one is here! It's only you, JUST YOU! There is no one to tell you the ending, because when all is said and done at the end, it will still be only you! Accept it already! They're not here! They're gone! And it doesn't matter what you do or how badly you want it, they're NEVER COMING BACK! And no matter what you do, NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE IT!"

Sasuke choked in his rant. He suddenly couldn't look her in the eye, and he lost all strength in his grip, dropping Kisa on the cold floor. He stumbled back, wide-eyed, panicking, not able to breathe.

_What am I doing here?_

For a moment, it was as if Sasuke was looking through the eye lens of everyone but himself. For a moment, it was Sasuke himself that lay beaten and broken on the cold concrete floor.

_What am I doing here?_

Ever since he was a scarred child, he never wavered, never faltered. But now, looking at himself, Sasuke saw no future. None whatsoever. What was the point?

It was as if the eyes of all the deceased Uchiha were on him, glaring at him in distain. What worth is this? What Avenger is this? What Uchiha is this?

"What am I doing here…?"

Sasuke fell. He fell to the floor, defeated, not by his friends, not by enemies, not by Itachi, defeated by his own lack of worth and self.

And it all became clear then. It was as if all the words and pleas that everyone would send him had finally reached his ears after all these years. What's the point of killing Itachi if you were so less of a human being? What's the purpose of avenging the Uchiha Clan if you weren't even an Uchiha. The thing lying on the floor named Sasuke wasn't deserving of any noble title…

A firm grip clasped onto Sasuke's ankle.

At that point he wanted nothing than to just lay there, but some small spark of life within him made him raise his head to see.

There was Kisa. She had crawled from her spot and grabbed onto his ankle, half-crazed. What was she going to do, kill him? She'd be doing him a favor…

"Don't doubt."

Sasuke's tired eyes widened in shock, staring at this insane girl that stared at him so desperately, so pleadingly.

"Please… Forgive me. I have sown the seeds of Doubt in you when I did not mean to! Please, don't doubt! Don't leave… Don't lose your grip on this world… I am sorry… I am sorry…"

Kisa struggled and dragged herself forward, each inch gradually bringing her back to awareness and sanity as she reached to clutch Sasuke's limb as if it were the only anchor left in a raging sea, and Sasuke could do nothing but stare.

"You can't end here… I don't know what will happen or how the story will end, but I don't want it to end here… Please, Uchiha-san… I don't like this ending… Please…"

Sasuke said nothing then, and neither did Kisa say anything more. For what seemed like the longest time, the two of them simply laid there quietly and peacefully on the concrete floor of a basement in the Uchiha sector, completely oblivious to the rest of the world.

"..."

"..."

An hour went by. Outside the battle still raged strong and loud and bloody, yet here, deep in an abandoned part of town, Uchiha and Nakada still laid there in the same position as before, breathing, barely thinking.

It felt good, thought Sasuke, to just lay there in the dirty concrete and not concentrate on anything. For the first time ever, Sasuke didn't think about his Clan, didn't think about his brother, didn't even think about himself. He just laid there and breathed. He assumed that Kisa, still on his leg, was doing more or less the same.

However, even in his funk, he knew that he couldn't lay there forever. Life and reality still went on, and finally, struggling against his stiff muscles, Sasuke sat up. He sat up to see Kisa doing the same, similarly stiff.

Sasuke felt strangely refreshed as she moistened his dry lips. Sasuke and Kisa just sort of stared blankly at each other, and the first words out of their mouths were honest ones.

"I don't know what to do."

They're eyes widened in surprise as they said the exact same words at the same time. Kisa looked down in mild embarrassment while Sasuke turned slightly away.

"If Naruto-san were here, he would have called the jinx, I believe."

Sasuke blinked, then turned deadpanned eyes towards Kisa. "For reminding me of the dobe I think I'll kiss the concrete again."

Kisa spontaneously giggled with mirth. She looked like she wanted to stop, but couldn't. Strangely, Sasuke joined in, mildly chuckling as well.

It would have grown to full-blown laughter, but the two of them had the right mind to get themselves under control.

After a pause, reality seemed to catch up to them again. A distant explosion reminded them of what was going on. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Sasuke was pleased that his security measures worked and that nothing had found them so far.

"…Uchiha-san."

"…Just call me Sasuke."

Kisa looked startled. "What?"

Sasuke sighed. "I'm just going to call you Kisa, and you just call me Sasuke. I'm getting tired of hearing Uchiha-san all the time, anyway."

"Uhm… very well… Sasuke."

Sasuke turned to her. "You were going to say something, Kisa?"

Kisa looked down in sadness. "People are dying, Sasuke."

"Yeah."

"I don't want people to die. Not to the Adoju-nins."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Adoju-nins. You know them."

Kisa nodded.

"They're after you."

"To be perfectly fair, Sasuke, they're now after everyone."

"But you especially."

"Likely."

Sasuke mused for a moment, Kisa looking at him in alarm. "They'll be after you, too, Sasuke!"

"I know."

"…Don't you want to know why?"

"Would it matter?" Sasuke's brow furrowed. "You can tell me later, Kisa. Right now I'm trying to think."

Kisa looked imploring. "Please, I don't know what use I will be of to you, but I feel that you must share your thoughts with me as well!"

Sasuke looked at her in interest. Before Kisa could ask why, Sasuke shifted so that he full faced Kisa, still looking at her. A smirk on his face alarmed Kisa.

"Tell me something. How long have you been this crazy?"

Kisa was confused and mildly hurt by the question, but answered, "For a long time, Sasuke, but under the judgment of most, it hasn't been that long at all…"

Sasuke nodded slowly before meeting Kisa's eyes and posing a very serious question. "Are we going to die here, Kisa?"

Kisa looked alarmed and fumbled with words before saying, "I don't know, Sasuke…"

"Bullshit," Kisa jumped. "Are we going to die down here?" Sasuke then posed the question in a different way. "Is this where the story ends, Kisa?"

Kisa looked panicked, but kept herself together, and vehemently shook her head. "No, Sasuke. It's not going to end down here."

Sasuke smirked. "You know what? I don't think so, either. You want to know why?"

Kisa slowly shook her head.

"Because it just plain sucks down here."

Kisa almost face-vaulted, very shocked. "S-Sasuke! That is most definitely not something you would say aloud."

Sasuke looked up at the ceiling. "No, it really isn't. It's more like something someone else would say, but it's still what I think."

Kisa paused and thought. "Would it by any chance be something that Naruto-san would say?"

"You're good."

"Uhh…" Kisa was more expecting a scolding than a compliment. "What else would Naruto-san say?"

Strangely enough, Sasuke actually considered the question. He looked back to all the times he spent with Naruto. Unsurprisingly, Sasuke came up with an answer quickly.

"Screw the ending."

Kisa's eyes widened at Sasuke, who had an expression close to nostalgia.

"Screw the ending. Just make up your own." Sasuke scoffed, but it was one of fondness. "That is _such_ a Naruto thing to say, it gives me a headache."

Kisa seemed to really consider the words. "Make up your own ending…?"

"Sounds better than letting it end down here."

Kisa still seemed stuck on the words, but then strength and firmness came upon her, the kind that Sasuke always liked to see.

"I agree. I refuse to let it end down here. But…"

"But what?"

"I'm afraid, Sasuke. I'm not strong enough. I'm afraid of the Adoju-nins, and it's only just me…"

"It's not just you, maniac."

Kisa looked at him surprised, and Sasuke looked annoyed.

"I'm not going out there alone, and I've gotten smart enough to know that I'm not going to take on an army alone." Sasuke stood up, dusting off his pants as he did so, and finally extending a hand to Kisa to pick up. Mildly stunned, Kisa took the hand and raised herself up with Sasuke's help.

"Will we live?"

Kisa still looked uncertain. "Sasuke…"

"Look…" Sasuke took a deep breath and crossed his arms in annoyance. "You know things, don't you?" When Kisa didn't respond, he continued. "Doesn't matter how insane you are, the fact is that you know things, crazy things, but things that turn out to be right."

Sasuke leaned in and spoke softer. "I don't know who or what it is that you keep seeing and talking to when you think I'm not looking," Kisa paled, "But I'm going to let you know right now that I don't give a flying fuck over what's the wrong with you. You have answers, and I don't care where they come from, but I want to know them, too, okay? I'm going to listen to you."

Kisa looked more stunned than seem merited. Sasuke huffed, "Besides, it's not like I know anything about these Adoju-nins…" He turned back.

"I'm asking you again. Will we live?"

Kisa stood silent and said nothing, until the telltale green glow came back to her eyes, and Kisa finally spoke with true confidence.

"We are going to live, Sasuke."

Sasuke nodded, believing her. "So… what do we need to do then? Do we run?"

"No," More firmness came upon Kisa. "To live, we have to fight."

Sasuke looked surprised, but then a smile, a genuinely satisfied smile came upon his face.

"Can we win? Just you and me?"

Kisa nodded. "You and I are all that is necessary for dawn to come, Sasuke."

Sasuke grinned, true life seeming to come back to him. Personally, he liked that secure arrangement.

"How much longer will Konoha hold out?" It was nearing noon.

"At best, till dusk. Then Konoha falls." Even standing in confidence, eyes aglow, Kisa looked pained to say it.

"How long till the Adoju-nins find us?"

Kisa took longer until she finally stated, "Two hours."

Not bad at all. Their typical training session only took that long.

"Alright," Sasuke brought his Sharingan back to life. "Here's what's going to happen. We're going to get some power rest so that we're prepared. At the same time, you're going to share with me everything you know about Adoju-nins. I don't care how irrelevant, I need to know everything. During the same time, I'm going to tell you all there is to know about Konoha strategically. Once we're both done, I am going to teach you more techniques, powerful techniques. I noticed you have high chakra reserves, but that you have the restraint capabilities of Naruto. I'm giving you powerful moves to compensate, but don't worry about overdoing it, because I'll be right there. If you want to, you can share as many techniques with me as you want to, and I can and will learn whatever you give me. However, whatever techniques I give you, you must learn within the two hours. I don't know how, but I have reason to believe that you can. And you will do it, alright?" Sasuke finished sternly.

Kisa nodded. "Absolutely, Sasuke."

Sasuke and Kisa both took a deep meditative breath and sat down across from each other. Sasuke reached to set the timer on his watch, and then both Uchiha Sasuke and Nakada Kisa looked each other square in the eye, swirling red eyes to glowing green eyes.

"Tell me how to win."

-

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* * *

**Credits**: A good portion of Kisa's mad words near the end here is credited to comic writer Grant Morrison. Bless him. 


End file.
